ਤੰਬੋਲੀ

Old Punjabi

Etymology

Inherited from Prakrit 𑀢𑀁𑀩𑁄𑀮𑀺𑀅 (taṃbolia), from Sanskrit ताम्बूलिक (tāmbūlika). Cognate with Old Marathi 𑘝𑘰𑘽𑘤𑘻𑘯𑘲 (tāṃboḷī).

Noun

ਤੰਬੋਲੀ (tambolī) m (Shahmukhi تَنْبولِی)

1. seller of betel
   • 1604, Guru Nanak, Ādi Granth ang 417:

     ਕਹਾ ਸੁ ਪਾਨ ਤੰਬੋਲੀ ਹਰਮਾ ਹੋਈਆ ਛਾਈ ਮਾਈ ॥੨॥

     kahā su pāna tambolī haramā hoīā chāī māī.2.

     • 1972 translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

       Where are those betel leaves, their sellers, and the haremees? They have vanished like shadows.

Descendants

• Punjabi:

  Gurmukhi script: ਤੰਬੋਲੀ (tambolī)

  Shahmukhi script: تَنبولی (tanbolī)

Further reading

• Christopher Shackle (2011) “ਤੰਬੋਲੀ”, in A Gurū Nānak Glossary, 2^nd edition, New Delhi: Heritage Publishers, →ISBN, page 300
• “ਤੰਬੋਲੀ”, in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Dictionary, SriGranth.org, 2024
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “tāmbūlika”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 329