Where does “కుంకుడుకాయ” come from?

కుంకుడుకాయ (Telugu) comes from Telugu కాయ, from Proto-Dravidian kāy — fruit.

కుంకుడుకాయ (Telugu): soapberry

Definitions

  1. soapberry

Ancestry of “కుంకుడుకాయ”, step by step

కుంకుడుకాయ traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Telugu కాయ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Teluguకాయunripe fruit; Anything round, as the head
2Proto-Dravidiankāyfruit

via Telugu కుంకుడు

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1TeluguకుంకుడుThe soapnut tree
Every word from Proto-Dravidian kāy →Every word from Telugu కాయ →