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Very late 16th cent. Borrowed from Old French pais "region," from Late Latin pagensis "one from the country," from Latin pagus "country."
From Proto-Italic *pāg-o- "district." From Proto-Indo-European *peh2ǵ-o- "attachment." From *peh2ǵ- "to attach."
Romance
Portuguese país, French pays, Italian paese
Hellenic
Ancient Greek εὐ-πηγής (ey-pegés) "well-built"
Indo-Iranian
Sanskrit pajrá- "solid," Khotanese pāysa- "surface"
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