Tamil

noun

Tam·​il ˈta-məl How to pronounce Tamil (audio) ˈtä- How to pronounce Tamil (audio)
1
: a Dravidian language of Tamil Nadu state, India, and of northern and eastern Sri Lanka
2
: a Tamil-speaking person or a descendant of Tamil-speaking ancestors

Examples of Tamil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The action comedy is streaming on Prime Video in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada languages. Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025 The factory, located in the port city of Thoothukudi in the state of Tamil Nadu, will make 50,000 electric vehicles each year. Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2025 Love Chaos Kin Tamil filmmaker Chithra Jeyaram’s Love Chaos Kin upends the traditional narrative around transracial adoptions. Regina Kim, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025 States like Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand have implemented such programs, with payments in the largest programs ranging from 1,000 rupees to 2,500, or between roughly $12 and $30. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for Tamil

Word History

Etymology

Tamil Tamiẓ; akin to Pali Damiḷa, a Dravidian-speaking people, Sanskrit Dravida

First Known Use

1734, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Tamil was in 1734

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tamil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Tamil. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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