Mid 18th century. Probably from post-classical Latin pande (in pande manum ‘stretch out your hand!’ from classical Latin pande, 2nd singular imperative of pandere to stretch or spread + manum, accusative singular of manus hand; compare classical Latin pandere manūs), with the ending remodelled after -y<br>mid 19th century. From Bengali and Hindi pãṛe high-caste subdivision of the Brahmins, also used as a surname which was very common among the high-caste sepoys of the Bengal army; one of those bearing the surname was Mangul Pãṛe, the first man to mutiny in the 34th Regiment<br>early 20th century; earliest use found in Lewellys Barker (1867–1943). From the name of Kálmán Pándy, Hungarian neurologist, who described the test in 1910 ( Neurol. Centralbl 29 915).

Mid 18th century. From pandy. Compare palmy.