Tamil
Americannoun
-
Tamils,
plural
-
Tamil
plural
-
a member of a Dravidian people of southern India and Sri Lanka.
-
the Dravidian language of the Tamils, spoken in India principally in Tamil Nadu state and in Sri Lanka on the northern and eastern coasts.
adjective
noun
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a member of a mixed Dravidian and Caucasoid people of S India and Sri Lanka
-
the language of this people: the state language of Tamil Nadu, also spoken in Sri Lanka and elsewhere, belonging to the Dravidian family of languages
adjective
Usage
What does Tamil mean? Tamil is the name for a person of a Dravidian culture group that is located primarily in Southern India and northeastern Sri Lanka. Tamil is also the name of the language spoken by Tamils. Tamils, like all Dravidian peoples, are aboriginal to Southern India and Sri Lanka. That is, Dravidian peoples are the earliest known inhabitants of that geographic area. Today, most of the world’s Tamils live in the southeastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and northern part of the country of Sri Lanka, although many Tamils live around the world.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Officials said the animal was being kept at the home of a relative of Vikram in Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
The state's Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra told BBC Tamil that individuals could keep a lar gibbon if they had the permits and documentation required by law.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Thenmozhi, the bureau's Southern Zone Deputy Director, told BBC Tamil that it had written to wildlife officials in Chennai asking them to verify documents and take appropriate action.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
The temperature read 36C but the radiologist, from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, said it felt hotter.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
“Try one. Verrrry sweet,” she said in Tamil.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
The status of Sri Lankan Tamils is an emotive subject in the state, with different political parties promising to help resolve their citizenship concerns.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2025
In their time on the island, the Tamils, including 16 children, were housed in military tents in the fenced camp, which was guarded at all times by private security company G4S.
From BBC ● Dec. 16, 2024
While guards watched and military jets occasionally roared overhead, Shanthi and the other Tamils approached British forces on the island with a letter asking to be sent to a safe country.
From BBC ● Dec. 7, 2024
The Sri Lankan Tamils are permitted to remain in the country for six months, with financial support from the Foreign Office, according to documents seen by the BBC.
From BBC ● Dec. 2, 2024
The evidence points to their having been a race distinct from the Tamils.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 3 "Capefigue" to "Carneades" by Various
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