Of uncertain origin.
Due to similar forms denoting various berry-type fruits found in various Indo-European branches, the word is traditionally derived from Proto-Indo-Aryan *dráHgẓʰaH, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *dʰráHȷ́žʰaH, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰréh₂ǵ-seh₂ (“grape, vine”), from *dʰreh₂ǵ- (“berry”). Said similar words include Latin frāgum (“strawberry”), Albanian dredhëz (“strawberry”), Ancient Greek τρῠ́ξ (trúx, “unfermented wine”), Proto-Slavic *dẽrnъ (“blackthorn, cornel”), and Old Irish derc (“berry”);[1] compare also the Nuristani forms Ashkun drás (“grape”), Kamkata-viri drós (“grape”), Prasuni rásik (“grape”), Tregami drás (“grape”), Waigali dras (“grape”), which seem to be from a preform *dʰraHsáH.
However, Mayrhofer notes that the variance of the word's secondary forms in Indo-Aryan, like *द्रक्षा (drakṣā) and ध्राक्षा (dhrākṣā), as well as the word's lack of attestation in Vedic texts, suggest a borrowing from some foreign source rather than inheritance from Indo-Aryan. The exact language of borrowing is unclear, possibly Iranian, Greek, or some unknown language of Asia Minor. In this case, the word may be a Wanderwort, spreading to some or all of the supposed cognates via contact rather than inheritance (or the word was inherited in some branches but not Indo-Iranian, where it was borrowed instead).[2][3]
An alternative theory by Oberlies takes the word as a re-Sanskritization of a hypothetical Middle Indic *दच्छा (dacchā), itself from द्रप्स (drapsa, “drop”). This proposal is formally and semantically unconvincing, and has not been elaborated on further.
द्राक्षा • (drā́kṣā) stem, f
| Feminine ā-stem declension of द्राक्षा (drā́kṣā) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Dual | Plural | |
| Nominative | द्राक्षा drā́kṣā |
द्राक्षे drā́kṣe |
द्राक्षाः drā́kṣāḥ |
| Vocative | द्राक्षे drā́kṣe |
द्राक्षे drā́kṣe |
द्राक्षाः drā́kṣāḥ |
| Accusative | द्राक्षाम् drā́kṣām |
द्राक्षे drā́kṣe |
द्राक्षाः drā́kṣāḥ |
| Instrumental | द्राक्षया / द्राक्षा¹ drā́kṣayā / drā́kṣā¹ |
द्राक्षाभ्याम् drā́kṣābhyām |
द्राक्षाभिः drā́kṣābhiḥ |
| Dative | द्राक्षायै drā́kṣāyai |
द्राक्षाभ्याम् drā́kṣābhyām |
द्राक्षाभ्यः drā́kṣābhyaḥ |
| Ablative | द्राक्षायाः / द्राक्षायै² drā́kṣāyāḥ / drā́kṣāyai² |
द्राक्षाभ्याम् drā́kṣābhyām |
द्राक्षाभ्यः drā́kṣābhyaḥ |
| Genitive | द्राक्षायाः / द्राक्षायै² drā́kṣāyāḥ / drā́kṣāyai² |
द्राक्षयोः drā́kṣayoḥ |
द्राक्षाणाम् drā́kṣāṇām |
| Locative | द्राक्षायाम् drā́kṣāyām |
द्राक्षयोः drā́kṣayoḥ |
द्राक्षासु drā́kṣāsu |
| Notes |
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