From Sanskrit paraśú, equivalent to Greek pelekus, going back to an IE *peleku-, borrowed from the Akkadian pilaqqu (from Sumerian balag) meaning "axe", compare Arabic falaqa, "to split apart"; and PIE *sekwr, Latin securis, "axe", secula, "hatchet", Old Slavic sekyra, "hatchet", related to a Semitic root yielding Akkadian shukurru, "javelin", Hebrew segor, "axe".