Where does “கைவாள்” come from?

கைவாள் (Tamil) comes from Tamil கை, from Proto-Dravidian *kay.

கைவாள் (Tamil): shortsword

Definitions

  1. shortsword

Ancestry of “கைவாள்”, step by step

கைவாள் traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Tamil கை

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tamilகைhand
2Proto-Dravidian*kay—

via Tamil வாள்

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tamilவாள்sword, scimitar, saw, plough, scissors
Every word from Proto-Dravidian *kay →Every word from Tamil கை →