Where does “bamboe” come from?

bamboe (Dutch) comes from Portuguese bambu, from Malay bambu, from Tamil வேம்பு, from Kannada ಬಂಬು, from Proto-Dravidian *wēmpu — neem tree.

bamboe (Dutch): bamboo

Definitions

  1. bamboo

Ancestry of “bamboe”, step by step

bamboe traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Portuguese bambu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Portuguesebambubamboo
2Malaybambubamboo
3Tamilவேம்புbitterness (of taste)
4Kannadaಬಂಬುbamboo
5Proto-Dravidian*wēmpuneem tree

via Dutch riet

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchrietreed
2Middle Dutchriet
3Old Dutchrietreed
4Proto-West Germanichreudreed

Words derived from “bamboe

Every word from Proto-Dravidian *wēmpuEvery word from Kannada ಬಂಬುEvery word from Tamil வேம்பு