Here's the breakdown:
* "Hebrew" comes from the word "Ivri" (עִבְרִי) in Hebrew.
* "Ivri" itself can be traced back to the word "eber" (עֵבֶר), meaning "the other side" or "beyond." This refers to the other side of the Euphrates River, where Abraham and his descendants were believed to have originated.
So, while there isn't a single root word in the sense of a direct synonym, "Hebrew" is ultimately derived from the word "eber," which means "the other side."