An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

The hypothesis that life exists and is distributed throughout the Universe in the form of “seeds” that develop in the right environment. The oldest record of this idea may be traced back to the ancient Greek philospher Anaxagoras, who lived in the fifth century B.C.

Etymology (EN): N.L., from Gk. panspermia “mixture of all seeds,” from → pan- + -sperm, a combining form of sperma “seed” + -ia a noun suffix.

Etymology (PE): Pân-dâne-vari, sarâsar-dâne-vari, from pân-, sarâsar-, → pan-, + dâné “seed, grain” (Mid.Pers. dân, dânag “seed, corn,” Av. dânô- in dânô.karš- “carrying grains; an ant,” Skt. dhânâ- “corn, grain,” Tokharian B tâno “grain,” cf. Lith. duona “corn, bread”)

• -var suffix of possession, variant -ur (Mid.Pers. -uwar, -war; from O.Pers. -bara, from bar- “to bear, carry”)
• -i noun suffix.