Where does “วงเล็บ” come from?

วงเล็บ (Thai) comes from Thai วง, from Old Khmer វាង៑, from Proto-Mon-Khmer wa(a)ŋ — enclosure.

วงเล็บ (Thai): parentheses; bracket

Definitions

  1. parentheses; bracket

Ancestry of “วงเล็บ”, step by step

วงเล็บ traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Thai วง

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Thaiวงcircle; oval; round or elliptical object
2Old Khmerវាង៑—
3Proto-Mon-Khmerwa(a)ŋenclosure

via Thai เล็บ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Thaiเล็บnail (fingernail, toenail), claw, talon
Every word from Proto-Mon-Khmer wa(a)ŋ →Every word from Old Khmer វាង៑ →Every word from Thai วง →