wurbagool

noun

1. An Indian flying fox (Pteropus medius, syn. Pteropus giganteus), found throughout south Asia.

   obsolete

   Cheiroptera.—Three species of bats, Wurbagool, Pteropus medius; Nyctinomus plicatus; and Rhinolphus Dukhunensis.

Where it comes from

Compare Marathi वडवागूळ (vaḍvāgūḷ) or वडवाघूळ (vaḍvāghūḷ), explained in Molesworth's dictionary as "वड & वागूळ from वल्गुली S Because it takes up its abode in the वड tree. But, preferably, वड instead of वन or वन्य Wild—the Wild bat, as contrad. from the House- bat." The retroflex consonant ड (ḍa) might be mistaken for (or at least transcribed as) the English letter r, which is realized as a retroflex approximant for some English speakers.

Adapted from the Wiktionary entry wurbagool (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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