From Ancient Greek δᾱρεικός (dāreikós), from an Old Persian word related to 𐎭𐎼𐎴𐎹 (d-r-n-y /daraniya-/, “gold”), from *dari- (“golden”) (compare Avestan 𐬰𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌 (zairi, “yellowish, golden”)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃- (“gleam, yellow”). Compare Aramaic ܕܪܝܟܘܢܐ (drykwnʾ), Classical Syriac ܕܪܝܼܟܘܿܢܐ (darykwnʾ), Biblical Hebrew אֲדַרְכּוֹן (adarkon) and Parthian 𐫅𐫀𐫡𐫏𐫃 (dʾryg /dārīg/, “gold coin, Dareikos”). Doublet of gold and yellow.
Considered by classical authors to be from Δαρεῖος(Dareîos, “Darius”) who standardized the coinage as such, but this is a folk etymology.
daric (plural darics)
A gold coin from Persian Empire, introduced by Darius the Great (522-486 BC) and used until Alexander the Great’s invasion (330 BC).
