Dravidian

[ druh-vid-ee-uhn ]

noun

1. a family of languages, wholly distinct from Indo-European, spoken mostly in southern India and Sri Lanka and including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and, in Pakistan, Brahui.
2. a member of the aboriginal population occupying much of southern India and parts of Sri Lanka.

adjective

1. Also Dra·vid·ic []. of or relating to this people or their language.

Dravidian

/ drəˈvɪdɪən /

noun

1. a family of languages spoken in S and central India and Sri Lanka, including Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, and Gondi
2. a member of one of the aboriginal races of India, pushed south by the Indo-Europeans and now mixed with them

adjective

1. denoting, belonging to, or relating to this family of languages or these peoples

Other Words From

• pre-Dra·vid·i·an adjective
• pre-Dra·vid·ic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Dravidian¹

First recorded in 1855–60; from Sanskrit Draviḍ(a) the proper name of an ethnic group + -ian

Example Sentences

Even to-day infanticide still appears to be practised by some of the Dravidian tribes of Hindustan.

From Project Gutenberg

In the illimitable past it was this way that Dravidian peoples flocked down from Asiatic highlands to the borderland of India.

From Project Gutenberg

In India a Dravidian Paria acts as the temporary village priest.

From Project Gutenberg

It is equally certain that rites of undoubted Dravidian origin are to be observed among the Cham.

From Project Gutenberg

Buildings in the Dravidian style are very numerous in proportion to the extent of the area in which they are found.

From Project Gutenberg