Where does “bovu” come from?

bovu (Phuthi) comes from Proto-Nguni -bomvú, from Zulu ibomvu, from Proto-Nguni ílíbomvú — red ochre.

Ancestry of “bovu”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Nguni-bomvú—
2Zuluibomvured ochre
3Proto-Nguniílíbomvúred ochre
Every word from Proto-Nguni ílíbomvú →Every word from Proto-Nguni -bomvú →Every word from Zulu ibomvu →