English Explanatory Dictionary

Dravidian

English dictionary entry

Meanings

name
  1. A family of related ethnicities and languages primarily in Southern India, Northeast Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh.
  2. Any of the languages of these aboriginal peoples; Dravidic.
noun
  1. A member of any of several aboriginal peoples of India and Sri Lanka thought to have spread in India before Aryan migration.
adj
  1. Of or relating to the Dravidian people or language.

Pronunciation

/dɹəˈvɪdɪən/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Sumxr-Dravidian.wav

Word forms

Dravidian Dravidians more Dravidian most Dravidian

Etymology

From Sanskrit द्राविड (drāviḍa) + -ian. *tamiḻ > *damiḷ > damiḷa- / damila- and further, with the intrusive, 'hypercorrect' (or perhaps analogical) -r-, into dr(a/ā)viḍa.

Derived words

Elamo-Dravidian Proto-Dravidian

Translations

Finnish: dravidakieli Malay: bahasa Dravidia Polish: drawidyjski
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