Dravidian

Dra·vid·i·an

D0382400 (drə-vĭd′ē-ən)n.1. A large family of languages spoken especially in southern India and northern Sri Lanka that includes Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.2. A member of any of the peoples that speak one of the Dravidian languages, especially a member of one of the pre-Indo-European peoples of southern India.

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[From Sanskrit drāviḍaḥ, a Dravidian.]

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Dra·vid′i·an, Dra·vid′ic (-vĭd′ĭk) adj.

Dravidian

(drəˈvɪdɪən) n1. (Languages) a family of languages spoken in S and central India and Sri Lanka, including Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, and Gondi2. (Peoples) a member of one of the aboriginal races of India, pushed south by the Indo-Europeans and now mixed with themadj3. (Peoples) denoting, belonging to, or relating to this family of languages or these peoples4. (Languages) denoting, belonging to, or relating to this family of languages or these peoples

Dra•vid•i•an

(drəˈvɪd i ən)

n. 1. a language family of South Asia, spoken mainly in S India, and including Telugu and Tamil. 2. a speaker of a language belonging to this family. adj. 3. of or pertaining to Dravidian or its speakers. [1856; < Skt Draviḍ(a) ethnonym]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	Dravidian - a member of one of the aboriginal races of India (pushed south by Caucasians and now mixed with them)Indian - a native or inhabitant of IndiaBadaga - a member of an agricultural people of southern IndiaGadaba - a member of an agricultural people in southeastern IndiaGond - a member of a formerly tribal people in south central IndiaCanarese, Kanarese - a member of a Kannada-speaking group of people living chiefly in Kanara in southern IndiaKolam - a member of a formerly tribal people now living in south central IndiaKota, Kotar - a member of the Dravidian people living in the Nilgiri Hills in southern IndiaKui - a member of the Dravidian people living in southeastern IndiaMalto - a member of the Dravidian people living in northern Bengal in eastern IndiaSavara - a member of the Dravidian people living in southern IndiaTamil - a member of the mixed Dravidian and Caucasian people of southern India and Sri LankaTelugu - a member of the people in southeastern India (Andhra Pradesh) who speak the Telugu languageToda - a member of a pastoral people living in the Nilgiri Hills of southern IndiaTulu - a member of a Dravidian people living on the southwestern coast of India
	2.	Dravidian - a large family of languages spoken in south and central India and Sri LankaDravidian language, Dravidicnatural language, tongue - a human written or spoken language used by a community; opposed to e.g. a computer languageSouth Dravidian - a Dravidian language spoken primarily in southern IndiaSouth-Central Dravidian - a Dravidian language spoken primarily in south central IndiaCentral Dravidian - a Dravidian language spoken primarily in central IndiaNorth Dravidian - a Dravidian language spoken primarily in eastern India

Translations

dravidien