variants or Vaisya
: a Hindu of an upper caste traditionally assigned to commercial and agricultural occupations

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Sanskrit vaiśya, derivative of viś-, viṭ "settlement of a clan, tribe"; akin to Old Church Slavic vĭsĭ "village," Greek oîkos "dwelling, home" — more at vicinity

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Vaishya was in 1665

Dictionary Entries Near Vaishya

Cite this Entry

“Vaishya.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Vaishya. Accessed 29 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Vaishya

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