From Old Georgian ჴმელი (qmeli, “dry, withered; (dry) land”), from Proto-Georgian-Zan *qm-el- (“dry; dry land”), from Proto-Georgian-Zan *qem- ~ *qm- (“to dry, to wither”). Cognate with Mingrelian ხომილა (xomila), ხომლა (xomla) and Laz ხომულა (xomula). Old Armenian խամրիմ (xamrim, “to wither”) is considered a Kartvelian borrowing.