Tocharian

Origin

From Latin Tocharī + -ian, the first element deriving from Ancient Greek Τόχαροι (Tókharoi, “Tochari/Tukharas (an ancient people of Bactria)”), plural of Τόχαρος (Tókharos), probably from an Indo-Iranian source (Old Persian [script needed] (tuxāri-), Khotanese [script needed] (ttahvāra)); compare Sanskrit तुखार (tukhāra). When manuscripts in an unknown Indo-European language were discovered in the early 20th century in the Tarim Basin, scholars linked them to the Tochari/Tukharas mentioned in ancient sources. As a result, the language was called "Tocharian". However, most scholars now believe this identification was incorrect.