Etymology

The Origins of the Term "Srbin"

Etymology

The term "Srbin" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic "sъrbinъ", which is believed to have originated from the Proto-Slavic word *sъrbъ. This root is also found in other Slavic languages, such as Croatian ("Srbin"), Slovenian ("Srb"), and Czech ("Srb").

Possible Origins

There are several theories regarding the origins of the Proto-Slavic word *sъrbъ:

• Iranian: Some scholars suggest that it may be related to the Iranian word "sarbāza", meaning "warrior".
• Proto-Indo-European: Others propose that it is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *kerbʰ-, meaning "to cut" or "to tear".
• Unknown: It is also possible that the etymology of *sъrbъ is unknown.