Where does “калем” come from?

калем (Bulgarian) comes from Ottoman Turkish قلم, from Old Anatolian Turkish قلم, from Arabic قَلَم, from Ancient Greek κάλαμος, from Proto-Indo-European ḱolh₂-m-, from Proto-Indo-European kolH- — to raise, to lift, to build; awn.

калем (Bulgarian): any jointed and hollow stem of a plant

Definitions

  1. any jointed and hollow stem of a plant

Ancestry of “калем”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ottoman Turkishقلمreed, especially when cut and dried for use
2Old Anatolian Turkishقلمreed pen
3Arabicقَلَمpen, pencil
4Ancient Greekκάλαμοςa reed; anything made of reed or cane;...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱolh₂-m-—
6Proto-Indo-EuropeankolH-to raise, to lift, to build; awn
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kolH- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱolh₂-m- →Every word from Ancient Greek κάλαμος →