dak

Where does the word "dak" come from? It comes from Sanskrit drak, passing through Hindi before entering English (1820s).

Dak’s story begins in Sanskrit: drak meant “quickly.” Meant 'quickly'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Hindi as dak. Named the relay mail and transport system. It reached English by 1820s as dak. British colonial administrators adopted the word for India's relay postal service. Today, dak means historically, a relay system of mail or passenger transport in South Asia using bearers or horses stationed along a route.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient drak "quickly", meant 'quickly'.
2. Stage 2 · Hindi · medieval dak "the postal relay system", named the relay mail and transport system.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1820s dak "a mail or passenger relay system using stationed bearers or horses", British colonial administrators adopted the word for India's relay postal service.