An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

The process by which craters form on the surface of Solar System objects.

Etymology (EN): From → crater + → -ing

Etymology (PE): From lâvak or kandâl, → crater, + zâyi from zâ- present tense stem of zâdan “to give birth,” Mid.Pers. zâtan, Av. zan- “to bear, give birth to a child, be born,” infinitive zazâite, zâta- “born,” cf. Skt. janati “begets, bears,” L. gignere “to beget,” PIE base *gen- “to give birth, beget.”