Dravidian languages

plural noun

: a language family of India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan that includes Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam

Examples of Dravidian languages in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That’s because the right candidate will be well-versed in Malayalam and Kannada, two Dravidian languages spoken by 35 million and 44 million people, respectively, in certain regions of South India, according to Wikipedia. Andrea Guzman, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2023 Two of them are apparently Dravidian languages. IEEE Spectrum, 1 July 2021 In India speakers of Indo-Aryan and Dravidian languages which are geographically adjacent are only marginally different genetically. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 13 July 2012

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Dravidian languages.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Dravidian languages was in 1871

Dictionary Entries Near Dravidian languages

Cite this Entry

“Dravidian languages.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Dravidian%20languages. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

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