कूर्म

Given the unusual word structure and the semantic domain, probably a substrate loanword. Might be from the same family of words relating to "curved objects" with a ku- prefix as कुम्भ "water pot, pot"; कुण्ड or कुण्डी"water pot, pot"; कुम्बीर "crocodile"; कश्यप "tortoise, turtle"; कुष्माण्ड "pumpkin"; कूप "well"; कुब्ज "humpbacked"; and कलश "pitcher".

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /kuːɾ.mɐ/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /ˈkuːɾ.mɐ/

कूर्म • (kūrma) stem, m

1. a tortoise, turtle
2. the earth considered as a tortoise swimming on the waters
3. a particular figure or intertwining of the fingers (mudra)
4. one of the outer winds of the body (causing the closing of the eyes)
5. (Hinduism) Vishnu's second incarnation (descent in the form of a tortoise to support the mountain मन्दर (mandara) at the churning of the ocean)

• Pali: kumma
• Prakrit: 𑀓𑀼𑀫𑁆𑀫 (kumma)
• ⇒ Punjabi: ਕੱਛੂਕੁੰਮਾ (kacchūkummā, “tortoise”)
• → Tamil: கூர்மம் (kūrmam) (learned)
• → Telugu: కూర్మము (kūrmamu) (learned)