Dravidian

noun

Dra·vid·i·an drə-ˈvi-dē-ən

1

: a member of an ancient dark-skinned people of southern India

2

: dravidian languages

Dravidian adjective

Word History

Etymology

Sanskrit Drāviḍa

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of Dravidian was in 1856

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Browse Nearby Words

Dravida

Dravidian

Dravidianist

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Dravidian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Dravidian. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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