Etymology Explorer › English

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
1Tamilபச்சுளி—
2Tamilபச்சிலை—
3Tamilஇலைleaf; betel leaf
4Old Tamil𑀇𑀮𑁃—
5Proto-Dravidian*elay—

Words derived from “patchouli”

  • patchoulol
  • paitsiúlaí
Every word from Proto-Dravidian *elay →