cheetah

Where does the word "cheetah" come from? It comes from Sanskrit chitraka, passing through Hindi before entering English (1800s).

Cheetah’s story begins in Sanskrit: chitraka meant “spotted one.” Meaning "spotted" or "variegated". By medieval, the word had taken hold in Hindi as chita. The name for the spotted big cat used in hunting. It reached English by 1800s as cheetah. Recorded as early as 1774 by Eyles Irwin, an East India Company servant; Mughal emperors such as Akbar kept hundreds of tame cheetahs for hunting. Today, cheetah means a large, spotted wild cat known for being the fastest land animal.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient chitraka "spotted one", meaning "spotted" or "variegated".
2. Stage 2 · Hindi · medieval chita "cheetah", the name for the spotted big cat used in hunting.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1800s cheetah "the fast, spotted big cat", recorded as early as 1774 by Eyles Irwin, an East India Company servant; Mughal emperors such as Akbar kept hundreds of tame cheetahs for hunting.