Where does “Kamala” come from?

Kamala is a borrowing from Sanskrit कमल (kamala), a word of unknown ultimate origin.

Kamala (English): An epithet of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi

Definitions

  1. An epithet of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi

Ancestry of “Kamala”, step by step

Kamala traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Thai กมลา

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Thaiกมลา—
2Palikamalalotus
3Sanskritकमलa lotus, lotus-flower; pale-red, rose-coloured;...
4Sanskritकम्to wish, desire, long for; to love, be in love...
5Sanskritकामwish, desire, longing; love, affection, object of...
6Proto-Indo-IraniankáHmaswish, desire
7Proto-Indo-Europeankóh₂-mo-s—
8Proto-Indo-Europeankeh₂-to desire, wish

via Hawaiian Kamala

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1HawaiianKamala—
2EnglishTamararegularly used in English since the mid-twentieth century
3RussianТама́раTango (T in the ICAO spelling alphabet)
4Hebrewתמרdate; date palm, palm tree in general
5Aramaicתמראeyelid; dates; date palms

Words derived from “Kamala”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European keh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kóh₂-mo-s →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian káHmas →