English Reference

Word

tamil

Phoneticstamil

/ˈtæmɪɫ/

Definitions

01the language

B2

n. a classical language spoken mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.

n. a Dravidian language with a long literary history, spoken primarily in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Malaysia.

“She grew up speaking Tamil at home with her parents.”

“Tamil is one of the longest-surviving classical languages in the world, with a rich tradition of poetry dating back over two thousand years.”

02the people

B2

n. a person who belongs to the Tamil ethnic group.

n. a member of the Tamil ethnic group, originating from South Asia.

“Many Tamils living abroad maintain strong ties to their cultural roots.”

“The local community centre provides resources for Tamils who have recently immigrated to the city.”

03related to the culture

B2

adj. relating to the Tamil people, their language, or their traditions.

adj. pertaining to the Tamil people, their culture, script, or language.

“We went to a restaurant that serves traditional Tamil food.”

“The festival showcased various aspects of Tamil culture, including classical dance and traditional music performances.”

Etymology

Borrowed from Tamil தமிழ் (tamiḻ, “Tamil”); see that entry for theories.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/tamil

English Reference