The story
Partial calque of Tamil சாயவேர் (cāyavēr), from சாயம் (cāyam, “dye”) + வேர் (vēr, “root”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
chay root
Today it means: The plant Oldenlandia umbellata, native to India, which yields a durable red dyestuff. Full definition →