Kshatriya
/ˈkʃə.tri.jə/noun
A member of the traditional Hindu varṇa associated with rulers, warriors, and governance.
Did you know?Kshatriya derives from Sanskrit kṣatra, “dominion” or “sovereign power,” a term closely related to the Iranian royal vocabulary behind shah and satrap.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-Iranian
PII
*kšátra
“Dominion, rule, sovereign power”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
kṣatra
“Royal authority, dominion, ruling power”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
kṣatriya
“A person belonging to the ruling or warrior class”
Ancient Prakrits
Prakrit
khattiya
“Ruler, warrior, member of the governing class”
Medieval Indo-Aryan
Apabhraṃśa
khattaïa
“A member of the warrior or ruling social order”
Modern English
English
Kshatriya
“A member of the traditional Hindu warrior and ruling varṇa”
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