नभस्

From Proto-Indo-Iranian *nábʰas (“cloud, mist”), from Proto-Indo-European *nébʰos. Cognate with Avestan 𐬥𐬀𐬠𐬀𐬵 (nabah), Ancient Greek νέφος (néphos), Latin nebula, Hittite 𒉈𒂊𒁉𒅖 (nēpis).

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /nɐ́.bʱɐs/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /ˈn̪ɐ.bʱɐs̪/

नभस् • (nábhas) stem, n

1. mist, fog, clouds, vapour
   • c. 1700 BCE – 1200 BCE, Ṛgveda 7.96.6:

     तं शग्मासो अरुषासो अश्वा बृहस्पतिं सहवाहो वहन्ति।
     सहश्चिद्यस्य नीलवत्सधस्थं नभो न रूपमरुषं वसानाः॥

     taṃ śagmāso aruṣāso aśvā bṛhaspatiṃ sahavāho vahanti.
     sahaścidyasya nīlavatsadhasthaṃ nabho na rūpamaruṣaṃ vasānāḥ.

     Him, this Bṛhaspati, his red-hued horses, drawing together, full of strength, bring hither.
     Robed in red colour like the cloud, they carry the Lord of Might whose friendship gives a dwelling.

2. the sky or atmosphere (in dual: heaven and earth)
   • c. 1200 BCE – 1000 BCE, Atharvaveda
3. ether (as an element)

• Maharastri Prakrit: 𑀡𑀳 (ṇaha)
• → Tamil: நபம் (napam)
• Bengali: নভ (nobho)

• Monier Williams (1899) “नभस्”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, , new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 0527.