Word
tamil
Phoneticstamil
/ˈtæmɪɫ/
Definitions
01the language
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
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
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.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/tamil