Where does “birah” come from?

birah (Indonesian) comes from Malay birah, from Proto-Malayic birah, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian biʀaq, from Proto-Austronesian biʀaq — Alocasia spp., wild taro, elephant's ear or itching taro.

birah (Indonesian): Alocasia spp., especially giant taro (Alocasia macrorrhizos), that causes itching, and the root is tasty after boiling

Definitions

  1. Alocasia spp., especially giant taro (Alocasia macrorrhizos), that causes itching, and the root is tasty after boiling

Ancestry of “birah”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malaybirahalocasia
2Proto-MalayicbirahAlocasia spp., wild taro, elephant's ear or itching taro
3Proto-Malayo-PolynesianbiʀaqAlocasia spp., wild taro, elephant's ear or itching taro
4Proto-AustronesianbiʀaqAlocasia spp., wild taro, elephant's ear or itching taro
Every word from Proto-Austronesian biʀaq →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian biʀaq →Every word from Proto-Malayic birah →