ðɪ ˈɪndoʊɪɹˈeɪniən kˈɑːmən nˈaʊn ˈæstɚɹˌɪsk mˈɪtɹə mˈiːnz "ðæt wˌɪtʃ kˈɔːzᵻztɹˈɑː tə bˈaɪnd mˈaɪ", hˈɛns sˈænskɹɪt mˈɪtɹæm, "kˈʌvɛnənt, kˈɑːntɹækt, ˈoʊθ", ðə pɹətˈɛkʃən ʌvwˈɪtʃ ɪz mˈɪtɹəz ɹˈoʊl ɪn bˈoʊθ ðə ɹˈɪɡvɛdə ænd ɪnðə mˈɪtæni tɹˈiːɾi.
The Indo-Iranian common noun *mitra means "(that which) causes [-tra] to bind [mi-]", hence Sanskrit mitram, "covenant, contract, oath", the protection of which is Mitra's role in both the Rigveda and in the Mitanni treaty.