Where does “pembetatu” come from?

pembetatu (Swahili) comes from Swahili tatu, from Proto-Bantu -tátʊ̀, from Zulu -thathu.

pembetatu (Swahili): triangle

Definitions

  1. triangle

Ancestry of “pembetatu”, step by step

pembetatu traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Swahili tatu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swahilitatuthree
2Proto-Bantu-tátʊ̀three
3Zulu-thathu

via Swahili pembe

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swahilipembehorn; tusk; wing
Every word from Zulu -thathuEvery word from Proto-Bantu -tátʊ̀Every word from Swahili tatu
pembetatu — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer