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 (trŭ́x, “unfermented wine”), Proto-Slavic *dẽrnъ (“blackthorn, cornel”), and Old Irish derc (“berry”); compare also the Nuristani forms Ashkun drās (“grape”), Kamkata-viri dros (“grape”), Prasuni rasik (“grape”), Tregami drās (“grape”), Waigali drās (“grape”), which seem to be from a preform *dʰráHsaH.
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).
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
| singular | dual | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | द्राक्षा (drā́kṣā) | द्राक्षे (drā́kṣe) | द्राक्षाः (drā́kṣāḥ) |
| accusative | द्राक्षाम् (drā́kṣām) | द्राक्षे (drā́kṣe) | द्राक्षाः (drā́kṣāḥ) |
| instrumental | द्राक्षया (drā́kṣayā) द्राक्षा¹ (drā́kṣā¹) |
द्राक्षाभ्याम् (drā́kṣābhyām) | द्राक्षाभिः (drā́kṣābhiḥ) |
| dative | द्राक्षायै (drā́kṣāyai) | द्राक्षाभ्याम् (drā́kṣābhyām) | द्राक्षाभ्यः (drā́kṣābhyaḥ) |
| ablative | द्राक्षायाः (drā́kṣāyāḥ) द्राक्षायै² (drā́kṣāyai²) |
द्राक्षाभ्याम् (drā́kṣābhyām) | द्राक्षाभ्यः (drā́kṣābhyaḥ) |
| genitive | द्राक्षायाः (drā́kṣāyāḥ) द्राक्षायै² (drā́kṣāyai²) |
द्राक्षयोः (drā́kṣayoḥ) | द्राक्षाणाम् (drā́kṣāṇām) |
| locative | द्राक्षायाम् (drā́kṣāyām) | द्राक्षयोः (drā́kṣayoḥ) | द्राक्षासु (drā́kṣāsu) |
| vocative | द्राक्षे (drā́kṣe) | द्राक्षे (drā́kṣe) | द्राक्षाः (drā́kṣāḥ) |