Where does “दलबदलू” come from?

दलबदलू (Hindi) comes from Hindi बदलना, from Hindi बदल, from Arabic بَدَل, from Arabic بَدَلَ — to replace; to change.

दलबदलू (Hindi): turncoat, defector, traitor

Definitions

  1. turncoat, defector, traitor

Ancestry of “दलबदलू”, step by step

दलबदलू traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Hindi बदलना

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hindiबदलनाto change, transform; to transfer, change post
2Hindiबदलchange; substitution
3Arabicبَدَلsubstitution, equivalent; a substitute; a good,...
4Arabicبَدَلَto replace; to change

via Hindi दल

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hindiदलgroup, team; party
2Sanskritदलpiece; leaf
3Proto-Indo-Europeandelh₁-to split, divide
Every word from Arabic بَدَلَ →Every word from Arabic بَدَل →Every word from Hindi बदल →