Pongam
/ˈpɒŋɡəm/noun
An Indian tree, usually referring to Pongamia pinnata, also called the Indian beech or karanja tree.
Did you know?Pongam seeds yield a bitter oil traditionally used in lamps and folk medicine, while the tree itself has long been associated with village groves and sacred landscapes.
Etymological Timeline
Early Dravidian usage
Dravidian
*puṅkam
“A reconstructed or inherited name for a tree; the precise prehistoric form is uncertain.”
Medieval period
Tamil
puṅkam
“The pongam or Indian-beech tree.”
Medieval period
Malayalam
puṅṅam
“The same tree, Pongamia pinnata.”
18th Century
Botanical Latin
Pongamia
“A genus name formed from an Indian vernacular tree name.”
19th Century
English
pongam
“An English vernacular name for the Indian beech tree.”
Modern English
English
pongam
“The tree Pongamia pinnata, especially in South Asian and botanical contexts.”