Etymology Map
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Nullah

3 stages from Sanskrit to English.

Today it means A ravine, gully, or watercourse, typically dry except during monsoon rains, in South and East Asia.

Where does the word "nullah" come from? It comes from Sanskrit nadi, passing through Bengali before entering English (1770s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
nadi
Sanskrit · ancient
"river, stream"
meant 'river, stream'
2
Stage 2 of 3
nala
Bengali · medieval
"a dry riverbed or ravine"
narrowed to mean a dry watercourse or ravine
3
Stage 3 of 3
nullah
English · 1770s
"a ravine or watercourse, dry except after rain"
British colonials in Bengal and North India adopted the word
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