name Uncommon

Tamil

thuh-MIHR

Tamil (name) means a Dravidian language spoken mainly in Tamil Nadu, India, and in Sri Lanka, and by diaspora communities in Singapore, Malaysia, and elsewhere. Example: “She grew up speaking Tamil at home and English at school.”

name

A Dravidian language spoken mainly in Tamil Nadu, India, and in Sri Lanka, and by diaspora communities in Singapore, Malaysia, and elsewhere.

"She grew up speaking Tamil at home and English at school."

"Tamil is one of the oldest continuously used languages in the world."

noun

A person from Tamil Nadu or Sri Lanka, or of Tamil descent.

"Many Tamils settled in Malaysia during the colonial era."

adj

Relating to the Tamil people, their culture, or their language.

"They celebrated the Tamil New Year with family and traditional food."

How to use Tamil

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishBoth the name of a South Indian/Sri Lankan language and the people who speak it.

Common pairings

Tamil Nadu the Tamil language Tamil cinema

Word forms

Tamils plural

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She grew up speaking _____ at home and English at school.

Etymology

From the Tamil word தமிழ் (tamiḻ), the name Tamil speakers use for their own language.

Rhymes for Tamil

Jamil

See all rhymes for Tamil →

Frequently asked questions

What does “Tamil” mean?

The word “Tamil” means a Dravidian language spoken mainly in Tamil Nadu, India, and in Sri Lanka, and by diaspora communities in Singapore, Malaysia, and elsewhere. In plain terms, both the name of a South Indian/Sri Lankan language and the people who speak it.

How do you pronounce “Tamil”?

“Tamil” is pronounced thuh-MIHR (/θəˈmɪɹ/ in IPA).

How do you use “Tamil” in a sentence?

Here is “Tamil” used in a sentence: “She grew up speaking Tamil at home and English at school.”

What part of speech is “Tamil”?

Depending on how it is used, “Tamil” can be a name, a noun and an adjective.

Is “Tamil” a common word?

“Tamil” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “Tamil” have?

“Tamil” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a Dravidian language spoken mainly in Tamil Nadu, India, and in Sri Lanka, and by diaspora communities in Singapore, Malaysia, and elsewhere.

Is Tamil a language or an ethnic group?

Tamil can refer to both: it is a Dravidian language spoken mainly in Tamil Nadu, India, and in Sri Lanka, and it also describes a person from Tamil Nadu or Sri Lanka, or of Tamil descent. The adjective form describes anything relating to the Tamil people, culture, or language.

Where is Tamil spoken?

Tamil is spoken mainly in Tamil Nadu, India, and in Sri Lanka, as well as by diaspora communities in countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. It is one of the classical languages of the Dravidian family.

Is Tamil capitalized in English?

Yes, Tamil is capitalized because it functions as a proper noun and adjective referring to a specific language, people, and culture.