Showing posts with label தமிழ் History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label தமிழ் History. Show all posts

Sunday, April 27, 2008

List of English words of Tamil origin

The following words were directly borrowed from Tamil:
appam
from Tamil appam, (Source: OED)
cash
The primary meaning of the word cash, paper money, or money in general, comes from Latin capsa, chest. A secondary meaning of cash, referring to any of various coins used in southern India and China, comes ultimately from Tamil காசு kācu (Source: OED, AHD, MWD)
Bharatanatyam
from paratanattiyam Tamil, (Source: OED)
catamaran
from கட்டுமரம் kaṭṭumaram("kattu"=tied up, "maram"=wood) (Source: OED, AHD, MWD)
cheroot
from French cheroute, from Tamil சுருட்டு curuṭṭu, roll or rolled (Source: OED, AHD, MWD)
corundum
from a Tamil word for 'ruby', குருந்தம் kuruntam or குருவிந்தம் kuruvintam (Source: OED)
coir
from the Tamil/ Malayalam word 'kayaru' for rope or thread or to be twisted. (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary)
curry
from கறி kaṟi, sauce (Source: OED, AHD, MWD)
illupi
from Tamil iluppai, (Source: OED)
kabadi/kabaddi
from Tamil kabadi, (Source: OED)
Maldivian
from Tamil malaidhivu("malai"=mountain, "dhivu"=island), (Source: OED)
Moringa
from முருங்கை murungai , a Tamil word for drumstick (Source: OED,AHD)
mulligatawny
from மிளகுத்தண்ணீர் miḷaku-taṇṇīr from miḷaku black pepper taṇṇīr, water (Source: OED, AHD, MWD)
nadaswaram/nagaswaram
from "Nagasvaram" [Tamil], (Source: OED)
palay
from Tamil palai, (Source: OED)
palus
from Tamil palla meaning pit, (Source: OED)
pariah
from பறையர் paṟaiyar , plural of பறையன் paṟaiyaṉ (Source: OED, AHD, MWD)
pandal
from Tamil pandal, (Source: OED)
pongal
from Tamil pongal
poonga oil
from Tamil punku, oil from pungam tree, (Source: OED)
poppadom
from அப்பளம் appalam a Tamil word for a crispy side dish (Source: OED)
portia tree
from Tamil puvaracu portia tree, (Source: OED)
sambar
from Tamil sambar, (Source: OED)
sangam
from Tamil sancam, (Source: OED)
tutenag
from Tamil tuttunagam, (Source: OED)

betel
from Malayalam vettila; Tamil 'vettrilei': "vettru"=plant name + "ilei"=leaf, (Source: OED)
copra
from the Malayalam word koppara "Coconut's kernel" or Tamil கொப்பரை 'kopparai' / கொப்பறா 'koppara' or Telugu word kobbera(Source: OED, AHD, MWD)
mango
from Portuguese manga, from Malayalam manga, from Tamil 'mangaai': "ma/mang"=plant name + "kaai"=fruit.
teak
from Malayalam thekku, from Tamil 'thekku'
coir
from Malayalam kayar, from Tamil 'kayaru'