List of English words of Dravidian origin

This is a list of English words that are borrowed directly or ultimately from Dravidian languages. Dravidian languages include Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, and a number of other languages spoken mainly in South Asia. The list is by no means exhaustive.

Current distribution of Dravidian languages.

Some of the words can be traced to specific languages, but others have disputed or uncertain origins. Words of disputed or less certain origin are in the "Dravidian languages" list. Where lexicographers generally agree on a source language, the words are listed by language.

From unknown or disputed Dravidian languages
  • Aiyo, a word used to express distress, regret and fear, either from Tamil aiyō, Sinhalese ayiyō,[1] or Kannada ayyo or Malayalam aiyyo(അയ്യോ) or Telugu ayyo.
  • Betel, a leaf of a vine belonging to the family Piperaceae; from Portuguese betel, which probably comes from Tamil vettrilai (வெற்றிலை) or Malayalam vettila (വെറ്റില).[2]
  • Candy, crystallized sugar or confection made from sugar; via Persian qand, which is probably from a Dravidian language, ultimately stemming from the Sanskrit root word 'Khanda' meaning 'pieces of something'.[3]
  • Coir, cord/rope, fibre from husk of coconut; from Malayalam kayar (കയർ)[4] or Tamil kayiru (கயிறு).[5] The origin of this word cannot be conclusively attributed to Malayalam or Tamil.
  • Congee, porridge, water with rice; uncertain origin, possibly from Tamil kanji (கஞ்சி),[6] Telugu or Kannada gañji, or Malayalam kaṇni (കഞ്ഞി)[7]
  • Coolie, a labourer or slave, a South Asian person; possibly from Tamil cooli (கூலி)[8] or Malayalam kooli (കൂലി) "labour", or possibly from Koḷī "Gujarati people" in Gujarati,[9] which is not a Dravidian language
  • Cot, a bedstead or a portable bed; via Hindi from Sanskrit,[10] which in turn may have come from a Dravidian source such as Tamil kattil (கட்டில்)/patukkai (படுக்கை)[11] or Malayalam kattil(കട്ടിൽ) or Kannada Kaata (ಕಾಟ).
  • Cowry, the shells of certain sea snails, or the snails themselves; via Hindi and Urdu from Sanskrit kaparda (कपर्द),[12] which may be related to Tamil kotu (கோது) "shell".[13]
  • Curry, a variety of dishes flavored with a spicy sauce; cognates exist in several Dravidian languages,[14] including Tamil (கறி), Malayalam (കറി), Telugu (కూర) and others.
  • Dosa, a pancake made from rice flour and ground pulses, typically served with a spiced vegetable filling. Possibly from Kannada or Tulu dōse (ದೋಸೆ),[15] from Malalayam dōśa,[16] or from other Dravidian sources.
  • Ginger, a fragrant spice; exact route from Dravidian is uncertain, but possibly from Tamil inchi (இஞ்சி) or Malayalam inchi (ഇഞ്ചി)[17]
  • Godown, synonym to warehouse; English from Malay, which in turn may have borrowed it from Telugu giḍangi or Tamil kiṭanku.[18]
  • Gunny, an inexpensive bag; from Sanskrit via Hindi and Marathi,[19] probably ultimately from a Dravidian language.[20]
  • Hot toddy, beverage made of alcoholic liquor with hot water, sugar, and spices; from Hindi tari "palm sap", probably from a Dravidian language[21]
  • Idli, a south Indian steamed cake of rice, usually served with sambhar. From Malayalam and Kannada iḍḍali.[22]
  • Jaggery, coarse brown sugar made from palm and sugarcane; via Portuguese jágara[23] probably from Malayalam chakkara/sharkkara (ചക്കര/ശർക്കര)[24] or Kannada sakkare Or Telugu Chakkera, having its origins in Sanskrit.[25]
  • Mango, A tropical fruit;origin probably from Tamil maangaay or Malayalam maanga (മാങ്ങ)[26][27][28][29]
  • Mongoose, a small carnivorous mammal from southern Eurasia or Africa, known for killing snakes; probably ultimately from a Dravidian language, with spelling influenced by the English word goose[30]
  • Mung, a type of bean; ultimately from Sanskrit mudga (मुद्ग), which is the name of the bean and the plant, perhaps via Tamil mūngu (முங்கு) "soak",[31] or Malayalam mudra (മുദ്ര). Alternately, perhaps from mũg (मूँग), the name of the bean in Hindi,[32] which is not a Dravidian language.
  • Orange, a citrus fruit, or a color named for the fruit; cognates exist in several Dravidian languages,[33] Tamil naaram (நாரம்) or Telugu naarinja (నారింజ) and others.
  • Pagoda, a religious building; etymology uncertain but perhaps influenced by Tamil pagavadi (பகாவடி) "house belonging to a deity".[34]
  • Pariah, a social outcast; from Tamil paṟaiyar (பறையர்)[35] or Malayalam paṟayan(പറയൻ), "drummer".
  • Peacock, a type of bird; from Old English pawa, the earlier etymology is uncertain, but one possible source is Tamil tokei (தோகை) "peacock feather", via Latin or Greek[36]
  • Sambal, a spicy condiment; from Malay, which may have borrowed the word from a Dravidian language[37] such as Tamil (சம்பல்) or Telugu (సంబల్).
  • Teak, a tropical hardwood tree; called thekku (തേക്ക്) in Malayalam,[38] tekku (தேக்கு) in Tamil, Telugu teku, and Kannada tegu;[39] via Portuguese teca.[40]

Tamil

Gregory James, a professor with the language center of Hong Kong university believes that more than 100 words in the Oxford English Dictionary have Tamil origin, and there could be even more.[41]

English wordTamil wordTransliterationMeaning in Tamil
Cash[notes 1]காசுkācucash, money, coin[42]
Catamaranகட்டுமரம்kattumaramtied wood[43]
Cherootசுருட்டுsuruṭṭuroll[44]
Corundumகுருந்தம்/குருவிந்தம்kuruntham/kuruvinthamruby[45]
Curryகறிkarisauce, relish[46]
Mulligatawnyமிளகுத்தண்ணீர்milagu-taṇṇīrpepper water[47]
Patchouliபச்சை இலைpachchai ilaigreen leaf[48]
Pandalபந்தல்pandhaltemporary shelter[49]

Malayalam
English word Word Transliteration Meaning in Malayalam
Areca അടയ്ക്ക aḍaykka areca nut [50]
Catechu കശൂ kaśū astringent made from acacia [51][52]
Copra കൊപ്ര kopra copra: kernel of coconut [53]
Calico കോഴിക്കോട് kōḻikkōḍŭ name of the place it originates from (Calicut) [54]
Jackfruit ചക്ക chakka jackfruit [55]

Telugu
English wordTelugu wordTransliterationMeaning in Telugu
Bandicootపందికొక్కుpandi-kokku"pig-rat"[56]
Pittaపిట్టpittayoung bird[57]

Kannada
English word Kannada word Transliteration Meaning in Kannada
Bamboo[notes 2] ಬಂಬು baṃbu bamboo[58]
Dhole[notes 3] ತೋಳ tōḷa wolf[59]
Hijra ಹಿಜಡಾ Hijaḍā impotent man[60]

See also

Notes
  1. Cash in the sense of "small copper coins" entered English from Tamil via Portuguese. Cash in the sense of "ready money" as opposed to invested wealth has a separate etymology, from Latin capsa via Middle French or Old Italian.
  2. The origin of bamboo is uncertain. It is thought to have entered English from Malayo-Polynesian languages, which borrowed it from Kannada.[58]
  3. The origin of dhole is unknown, but some sources suggest a connection to Kannada tōḷa (ತೋಳ).[59]

References
  1. "aiyo". Oxford Dictionaries - English. Archived from the original on October 10, 2016.
  2. "Betel". Online Etymology Dictionary.
  3. "Candy". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  4. "Coir". Online Etymology Dictionary.
  5. "Coir". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2015-07-26.
  6. "Congee". Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary. 2012-08-31. Retrieved 2014-04-19.
  7. "conjee, congee n.". Oxford English Dictionary (second ed.). 1989. ISBN 9780198611868.
  8. "Coolie; Define Coolie at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  9. "coolie n.". Oxford English Dictionary (third ed.). 2008. ISBN 9780199571123.
  10. "cot n.4". Oxford English Dictionary (second ed.). 1989. ISBN 9780198611868.
  11. "Online Etymology Dictionary". Etymonline.com. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  12. "cowry n.". Oxford English Dictionary (second ed.). 1989. ISBN 9780198611868.
  13. "Online Etymology Dictionary". Etymonline.com. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  14. "Curry; Define Curry at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  15. P. Thankappan Nair (2004). South Indians in Kolkata. Punthi Pustak. ISBN 978-81-86791-50-9.
  16. "Dosa Definition & Meaning". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
  17. Origins of Plant Names-D.A. Patil.
  18. "Define Godown at Dictionary.com". Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  19. "gunny, n.". Oxford English Dictionary (third ed.). 2000. ISBN 9780199571123.
  20. "gunny". Merriam-Webster online. Retrieved 2020-10-13.
  21. "toddy". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2014-03-06.
  22. "Idli". Oxford Dictionaries Lexico. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  23. "Jaggery". Merriam Webster Dictionary.
  24. "Jaggery Etymology".
  25. "jaggery, n.". Oxford English Dictionary (second ed.). 1989. ISBN 9780198611868.
  26. "Mango; Define Mango at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  27. "Mango". Merriam-Webster.com.
  28. "mango (n.)". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2014-07-19.
  29. Achaya, K.T. (2003). The Story of Our Food. Universities Press. p. 7. ISBN 9788173712937.
  30. "mongoose". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2014-03-06.
  31. "Mung bean | Define Mung bean at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  32. "mung n.2". Oxford English Dictionary (third ed.). 2008. ISBN 9780199571123.
  33. "orange n.1 and adj.1". Oxford English Dictionary online. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2013. Retrieved 2013-09-30.(subscription required)
  34. "Online Etymology Dictionary". Etymonline.com. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  35. "pariah, n. and adj.". Oxford English Dictionary (third ed.). 2008. ISBN 9780199571123.
  36. "Online Etymology Dictionary". Etymonline.com. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  37. "Sambal; Define Sambal at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  38. "Teak". Merriam-Webster.com.
  39. "teak". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2014-03-06.
  40. "teak, n.". Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1910.
  41. "For this professor, tracking Tamil words in English is a passion". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2012-04-18. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  42. "cash2". Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  43. "Catamaran; Define Catamaran at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  44. "Cheroot; Define Cheroot at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  45. "Corundum; Define Corundum at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  46. "Curry definition & meaning". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2021-10-07.
  47. "mulligatawny, n.". Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2003.
  48. "patchouli". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2014-04-19.
  49. "Pandal; Define Pandal at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  50. "Areca". Dictionary.com.
  51. "Catechu". Dictionary.com.
  52. "Catechu". WordReference.com.
  53. "Copra". Online Etymology Dictionary.
  54. "Calico". Dictionary.com.
  55. "Jackfruit". Merriam-Webster.com.
  56. "bandicoot". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2014-03-06.
  57. "pitta". Oxford Dictionaries. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved 2016-04-13.
  58. Illustrated Oxford Dictionary. Great Britain: Oxford University Press. 1998. ISBN 140532029-X.
  59. "dhole". Merriam-Webster.com. n.d. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
  60. "hijra, n.". Oxford English Dictionary (third ed.). 2009.
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