Etymology

shiva

S1H4I1V4A1

Today it means: A weeklong period of formal mourning for a close relative. Full definition →

Hebrew שִׁבְעָה ← Yiddish שבֿעה
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shiva · noun1

  1. Yiddish · borrowed fromשבֿעה
  2. Hebrew · derived fromשִׁבְעָה“seven”
  3. English todayshiva

From Hebrew שִׁבְעָה (shiv'á, “seven”), referring to the number of days that shiva spans. The pronunciation is likely in part from Yiddish שבֿעה (shive).

Shiva · proper noun2

  1. Sanskrit · borrowed fromशिव“the auspicious one”
  2. English todayShiva

Borrowed from Sanskrit शिव (śivá, “the auspicious one”).

Words from the same roots

Sanskritशिव all →

shiv

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.