1743, from Zoroaster, from Latin Zoroastres, from Old Persian Zarathushtra, 6c. or 7c. B.C.E. Persian religious teacher. The name appears to be literally "whose camels are old," from *zarant "old" (cognate with Greek geron, genitive gerontos "old;" see gerontology) + ushtra "camel." As a noun from 1811.
