An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

PIE prefix *ni- “down, below.”

Etymology (EN): E. nether is from this PIE root; M.E. nethere, O.E. neothera, nithera “down, downward, below, beneath” (cf. O.S. nithar, O.N. niðr, O.Fris. nither, Du. neder, Ger. nieder); akin to Pers. ne-, ni-, as below.

Etymology (PE): Mod.Pers. ne-, ni- “down, below” (as in negâh “look, watch,” nešastan “to sit down,” nehoftan “to conceal,” nehâdan “to place, put,” nemudan “to display,” nefrin “curse,” etc.); Mid.Pers. ni-, O.Pers. preposition and verbal prefix ni- “down;” Av. nī- “down, in, into;” cf. Skt. ni- “down,” nitaram “downward;” Gk. neiothen “from below” (from ne-[io]- “below” + -then “from, since;” other usage examples of -then: po-then “from where,” paidio-then “since childhood,” panta-ho-then “from everywhere.”); E. nether, as above.