Here's a breakdown of the most likely origins:
* "Yéti" itself is a transliteration of the Tibetan word "གཡའ་དྲེ" (pronounced "gya-dré"). This translates roughly to "wild man" or "rock demon."
* Some argue that the word "yeti" comes from the Sherpa language (another Himalayan language) where it means "something which leaves footprints." This theory is less widely accepted, though.
It's important to note that the term "yeti" only came into popular use in the early 20th century. Before then, the creature was known by various local names in the Himalayan region.
The mystery surrounding the yeti and the lack of concrete evidence has led to various theories about the origin of the word and the creature itself.