Where does “తేనెటీగ” come from?

తేనెటీగ (Telugu) comes from Telugu తేనె, from Proto-Dravidian *tiyam — honey.

తేనెటీగ (Telugu): honeybee

Definitions

  1. honeybee

Ancestry of “తేనెటీగ”, step by step

తేనెటీగ traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Telugu తేనె

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Teluguతేనెhoney
2Proto-Dravidian*tiyamhoney

via Telugu ఈగ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Teluguఈగfly
2Proto-Dravidianīthis, this here
Every word from Proto-Dravidian *tiyam →Every word from Telugu తేనె →