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Where does “betel” come from?

Betel derives from Tamil വെറ്റിലै, which is a compound of Tamil വെറ്റി and Tamil ഇലൈ meaning leaf.

betel (English): Either of two plants often used in combination; A...

Definitions

  1. Either of two plants often used in combination; A...

Ancestry of “betel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Portuguesebétele—
2Malayalamവെറ്റില—
3Tamilவெற்றிலைbetel
4Tamilஇலைleaf; betel leaf
5Old Tamil𑀇𑀮𑁃—
6Proto-Dravidian*elay—
Every word from Proto-Dravidian *elay →