Vaishya

noun

Vaish·​ya ˈvīsh-yə  ˈvī-shə 

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