From Middle Persian [script needed] (zynhʾl /⁠zēnhār⁠/), originally an imperative command of 𐭬𐭭 (MN /⁠az⁠/, “from, of”, modern از) + 𐭦𐭭𐭤 (ZNH /⁠ēn⁠/, “this”, modern این) + Proto-Iranian *hār- (“to guard; to observe”, from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to warn”)): "guard against this; beware of this", but used as a noun already in Middle Persian with the current meanings.