The story
- Hindi · derived fromकोठा“warehouse”
- Proto-Dravidian · derived from*kōṭṭay“wall”
- Hindustani · derived from
- Punjabi · derived fromਕੋਟ“fort”
- English todayarmskote
From arms + possibly Punjabi ਕੋਟ (koṭ, “fort”) or Hindustani کوٹ / कोट (koṭ, “fort, barracks”), ultimately from Proto-Dravidian *kōṭṭay (“wall”). Compare Tamil கோட்டை (kōṭṭai, “fort, castle, stronghold”). Alternatively, from Hindi कोठा (koṭhā, “warehouse”) or a related cognate. First used in British Indian military parlance, across the British Raj.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.