Where does “betelchewing” come from?

betelchewing (English) comes from English betel, from Portuguese bétele, from Malayalam വെറ്റില, from Tamil வெற்றிலை, from Tamil இலை, from Old Tamil 𑀇𑀮𑁃, from Proto-Dravidian *elay.

betelchewing (English): The act or practice of chewing betel

Definitions

  1. The act or practice of chewing betel

Ancestry of “betelchewing”, step by step

betelchewing traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English betel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbetelEither of two plants often used in combination; A...
2Portuguesebételebetel
3Malayalamവെറ്റിലbetel
4Tamilவெற்றிலைbetel
5Tamilஇலைleaf; betel leaf
6Old Tamil𑀇𑀮𑁃leaf
7Proto-Dravidian*elay—

via English chewing

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishchewingpresent participle of chew; The act by which...
2Middle EnglishchewyngThe act of chewing; One's ability to detect...
3Old Englishċīwung—
Every word from Proto-Dravidian *elay →Every word from Old Tamil 𑀇𑀮𑁃 →Every word from Tamil இலை →
betelchewing — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer