Proto-Afro-Asiatic: *pil-
Meaning: elephant; aardvark
Notes: Cf. *piʔVr- 'elephant/rhinoceros' (3641). Cf. Bla. Eleph., 196, where various Afras. forms in -r and -l, some meaning 'elephant/rhinoceros', other 'horn' are united, and "the semantic motivation "horn" > "elephant (/rhinoceros)" confirmed by typological evidences" (in particular, Sum. am-si 'elephant', composed from am 'wisent' and si 'horn' , apud Salonen 1976, 175) is tentatively proposed. Also quoted ibid. are similarly looking terms meaning 'elephant' from non-Afrasian African languages; and, finally, CCh. forms in mb- meaning 'elephant', WCh. forms in *ḅ- and SOm. forms in b- meaning 'horn' are compared.
