Праалтайский: *nep`V(ĺV)
Англ. значение: a k. of insect, butterfly
Значение: вид насекомого, бабочка
Комментарии: A common derivative *nep`V-ĺV is reflected in PT *japɨĺ-(gak), PM *naɣali-(nkaj) and probably Evk. nelbiɣe < *nepli-ge. The root must have denoted a small flying insect, with a further development > 'small biting insect' in Turkic. It may well be that the initial consonant was *l- (since the only TM reflex is the isolated Evk. dialectal form nelbiɣe); cf. perhaps also a wider spread Evk. name of the caterpillar - lepurēgdi, lepčerēgdi (ТМС 518), although it is usually derived from PTM *lepu- 'fluffy'.
