Where does “bambu” come from?

bambu (Malay) comes from Tamil வேம்பு, from Kannada ಬಂಬು, from Proto-Dravidian *wēmpu — neem tree.

bambu (Malay): bamboo

Definitions

  1. bamboo

Ancestry of “bambu”, step by step

bambu traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Tamil வேம்பு

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tamilவேம்புbitterness (of taste)
2Kannadaಬಂಬುbamboo
3Proto-Dravidian*wēmpuneem tree

via Kannada ಬಮ್ಬು

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Kannadaಬಮ್ಬು—

Words derived from “bambu”

Every word from Proto-Dravidian *wēmpu →