Where does “patchouli” come from?

patchouli (English) comes from Tamil பச்சுளி, from Tamil பச்சிலை, from Tamil இலை, from Old Tamil 𑀇𑀮𑁃, from Proto-Dravidian *elay.

patchouli (English): Any of several East Indian plants in the genus...

Definitions

  1. Any of several East Indian plants in the genus...

Ancestry of “patchouli”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tamilபச்சுளிpatchouli
2Tamilபச்சிலைgreen, fresh leaf
3Tamilஇலைleaf; betel leaf
4Old Tamil𑀇𑀮𑁃leaf
5Proto-Dravidian*elay—

Words derived from “patchouli”

Every word from Proto-Dravidian *elay →Every word from Old Tamil 𑀇𑀮𑁃 →Every word from Tamil இலை →