Where does “kelam” come from?

kelam (Indonesian) comes from Malay kelam, from Northern Kurdish kelem, from Arabic كلم, from Classical Persian گلیم, from Ancient Greek κάλυμμα, from Ancient Greek καλύπτω, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.

kelam (Indonesian): blurry, unclear

Definitions

  1. blurry, unclear

Ancestry of “kelam”, step by step

kelam traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Malay kelam

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malaykelam
2Northern Kurdishkelemcabbage
3Arabicكلمto speak, to talk, to address; bite, bitemark;...
4Classical Persianگلیم
5Ancient GreekκάλυμμαA head covering, a hood, a veil; A fishing net...
6Ancient Greekκαλύπτωto cover; to put over as a covering
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline

via English clamp

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishclampA brace, band, or clasp for strengthening or...
2Middle Dutchclamp
3Proto-Germanicklampōclamp, clasp, cramp

Words derived from “kelam

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel-