Where does “கோவைக்காய்” come from?

கோவைக்காய் (Tamil) comes from Tamil காய், from Proto-Dravidian kāy — fruit.

கோவைக்காய் (Tamil): ivy gourd (Coccinia grandis)

Definitions

  1. ivy gourd (Coccinia grandis)

Ancestry of “கோவைக்காய்”, step by step

கோவைக்காய் traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Tamil காய்

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tamilகாய்unripe fruit
2Proto-Dravidiankāyfruit

via Tamil கோவை

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tamilகோவைstringing, filing, arranging
Every word from Proto-Dravidian kāy →Every word from Tamil காய் →