Tamil loanwords in other languages

In English

English word	Tamil word	Transliteration	Meaning in English
Anicut	அணைக்கட்டு	Anaikattu	Anicut/Dam
Curry	கறி	kaṟi	relish for rice
Catamaran	கட்டுமரம்	kattumaram	a type of boat^[1]
Cheroot	சுருட்டு	suruṭṭu	roll^[2]
Corundum	குருந்தம்/குருவிந்தம்	kuruntham/kuruvintham	ruby^[3]
Mango	மாங்காய்	Maangaai	Mango
Moringa	முருங்கை	Murungai	Murungagaai
Mulligatawny	மிளகுத்தண்ணி	miḷaku-taṇṇīr/milaguthanni	pepper water^[4]
Patchouli	பச்சை இலை	pachchai ilai	green leaf^[5]
Pandal	பந்தல்	pandhal	temporary shelter^[6]
Pariah	பறையர்	Paraiyar	Outcast
Ginger	இஞ்சி வேர்	Inji ver	Ginger Root

In Malay

Loanwords from Tamil, mainly exist in cuisine, like Chinese and unlike Sanskrit. It mainly entered the lexicon of Classical Malay (and by extension, its Modern and Indonesian variants) with the immigration of South Indian traders who settled around the Strait of Malacca.

Malay word	Tamil word	Transliteration	Original Sanskrit word	Meaning in English
apam	அப்பம்	apam		kind of cake or Hoppers
bendi	வெண்டி	vendi		okra/lady's finger
entar		īntara		next time
harta	அர்த்தம்	arttam	artham (अर्थ)	wealth/material
kapal	கப்பல்	kappal		boat
kedai	கடை	kadai		foodstall
kuil	கோயில்	koyil		temple/shrine
kolam	குளம்	kulam		Pool of water
kota	கோட்டை	Kottai	kOTa (कोट), kuTa, kOTTa	fort
mangga	மாங்காய்	mangkai		mango
pelan		pāḷam		slow
peta	படம்	Paṭaṁ	pata (पट)	map
sama	சமம்	sama/samam	samam (equal)	same
singa	சிங்கம்	singam	simham (सिंह)	lion
telunjuk		tālunḍuk		index finger
topi	தொப்பி	toppi		hat

In Mauritian Creole

Creole	Tamil	Meaning
Kali	Kalli	Name of a plant
Notchi	Notchi	Name of a plant
Mourouk (Muruku)	Murungai	Name of a tree
Vetivert	Vettiver	Name of a plant
Att	Atta	Name of a fruit
Goyave	Koyyu	Name of a fruit
Pipangaye	Peerkanggaye	Name of a vegetable
Mourroung	Murungai (முருங்கை)	Moringa
Patol	Pudol	Name of a vegetable
Avrayka	Avaraykaye	Name of a vegetable
Kotaranga	Kottuvarangaye	Name of a vegetable
Kotomili	Kottumalli	Name of a vegetable
Karoupillay	Karuvepilay	Name of a vegetable
Betel	Vettrilaye	Name of a vegetable
Pak	Paku	Name of a vegetable
Putu	Pittu	Name of a cake
Ounday	Ourounday	Name of a cake
Mourkou	Mouroukkou	Name of a snacks
Ayo!	Ayyo!	Exclamation

In Sinhala

Sinhala words of Tamil origin came about as part of the more than 2,000 years of language interactions between Sinhala and Tamil in the island of Sri Lanka.

In Sinhala words

In the following list, Tamil words are romanised in accordance with Tamil spelling. This results in seeming discrepancies in voicing between Sinhala words and their Tamil counterparts. Sinhala borrowing, however, has taken place on the basis of the sound of the Tamil words; thus, the word ampalam, [ambalam], logically results in the Sinhala spelling ambalama, and so forth. However, the Tamil language used here for comparison is Tamil as spoken in Sri Lanka.

Sinhala transliteration	Meaning	Tamil transliteration	Meaning	Type
ādāyama	Income	ādāyam	Profit	Trade
akkā	Elder sister	akkā	Elder sister	Kinship
ambalama	Way-side rest	ambalam	Public place	Daily
ämbäṭṭayā	Barber	ampaṭṭaṉ	Barber	Trade
āṃgāṇiya	Stall (in a market)	aṅgāṭi	Market	Trade
ānā	Man	ān	Man	Daily
āṇḍuva	Government	āṇṭāṉ	Rich man with many servants	Administration
appā	Father (regional/colloquial)	appā	Father (Originally from Syriac word Aba^[7])	Kinship
āppa	Hoppers	āppam	Hoppers	Food
araliya	Oleander	araḷi	Oleander	Botany
avariya	Indigo plant	avuri	Indigo plant	Botany
ayyā	Elder brother	aiyā (see also Ayya)	Sir, father	Kinship
bā	Come	vā	Come	Daily
caṇḍiyā	Bandit, rowdy	saṇdiyar	Bandit	Daily
cīttaya	Chintz	cīttai	Chintz	Trade
ediriya	Opposition, hostility	edhiri	Opponent, enemy	Military
galkaṇḍuva	Sugar-candy	kaṟkaṇdu	Sugar-candy	Food
iccāva	Flattery	iccakam	Flattery	Daily
iḍama	Site, land	idam	Place, site	Construction
īḷa	Asthma	īḷai	Asthma	Daily
ilakkaya	Target	ilakku	Target	Military
ilakkama	Number	ilakkam	Number	Trade
iḷandāriyā	Young man	iḷandāri	Young man	Daily
iḷavuva	Death, funeral	iḻavu	Death	Daily
iraṭṭa	Double, even number	iraṭṭai	Double, even number	Trade
īyam	Lead	īyam	Lead	Daily
jāḍiya	Jar	cāṭi	Jar	Daily
jōḍuva	Pair	jōdi/cōdi	Pair	Daily
hodi	Gravy	soti		Daily
kaḍalē	Chickpea	kadalai (paruppu)	Chickpea	Food
kaḍasarakkuva	Spice, curry stuffs	kadai + sarakku	Shop + Goods	Trade
kaḍaya	Shop	kadai	Shop	Trade
kaḍinama	Haste	kathi	speed	Daily
kaḍiyāḷama	Bridle	kadivāḷam	Bridle	Military
kaṃkāṇiyā	Overseer	kaṅkāṇi	Foreman	Administration
kalanda	A small measure of weight	kaḻañcu	Weight of 1.77 grams	Trade
kalavama	Mixture, blend	kalavai	Mixture	Daily
kālaya	Quarter	kāl	Quarter	Trade
kaḷudäävā	Donkey	kaḻudai	Donkey	Daily
kambiya	Wire	kambi	Wire	Trade
kāndama	Magnet	kāandam	Magnet	Trade
kaṇisama	Size	kaṇisam	Size, amount	Daily
kaṇṇāḍiya	Mirror, spectacles	kaṇṇāadi	Mirror, spectacles	Daily
kappama	Tribute	kappam	Tribute	Military
kappara	Small ship	kappal	Ship	Trade
kappi	Grit, bruised grain	kappi	Coarse grits in flour	Daily
kappiya	Pulley	kappi	Pulley
kāvala	Protection
kayippu	Catechu
kayitālama	A small type if cymbal
kāppuva	Bracelet	kāappu	Bangle	Daily
kärapottā	Cockroach	karappaāṉ	Cockroach (SL)	Daily
karavaḷa	Dried fish	karuvāadu	Dried fish	Food
kāsiya	Coin	kāasu	Small change, coin	Trade
kasippu	Illicit liquor	kacippu	Illicit liquor	Trade
kaṭṭumarama	Catamaran	kaṭṭumaram	Catamaran	Trade
kayiyeliya	Cloth with coloured border	kaili	Multicoloured cloth worn by Muslims	Daily
keṇḍa	Calf	keṇdai(kkāl)	Calf	Daily
keṇḍiya	Pitcher	keṇṭi	Pitcher	Daily
kiṭṭu	Close, near	kiṭṭa	Close, near	Daily
koḍiya	Flag	kodi	Flag	Administration
kollaya	Plunder, pillage	koḷḷai	Plunder	Military
kombuva	Name of the sign ෙ	kombu (lakaram)	Name of the sign ள	Daily
kōn	Part of a name	kōṉ(ar)	Name pertaining to members of the Iṭaiyar caste ("shepherd, king")	Personal name
kōṇama	A loin cloth for men	kōvaṇam	A loin cloth for men	Daily
koṇḍaya	Plait/bun of hair	koṇdai	Bun/plait of hair	Daily
kottamalli	Coriander	koṭhamalli	Coriander	Botany
koṭṭaya	Pillow	koṭṭai	Nut, round shape, pillow	Daily
kōvila	Hindu temple	kōyil	Temple	Daily
kūḍama	Shed, Resthouse			Daily
kuḍaya	Umbrella	kudai	Umbrella	Daily
kūḍaya	Basket	koodai	Basket	Daily
kūḍuva	Nest, cage	koodu	Nest, small box	Daily
kulala/kuḷala	Pipe	kuḻal	Tube, musical pipe	Daily
kulappuva	Confusion	kuḻappu-	to confuse	Military
kūlama	Pond	kulam-	Pond	Agricultural Term
kurumbā	Young coconut	kurumbai	Young coconut	Food
kuliya	Rent	kooli	Rent, pay	Administration
kuṭṭama	A Pair			Daily
machan	Term of endearment along males			Daily
Malaya	Hill country	malai	Hill	Place name
māmā^{[citation needed]}.	Maternal uncle	māmā	Maternal uncle	Kinship
marakkalaya	Boat, Ethnic Moor, Sampan	marakkalam	(Sailing) Boat	Fishing
massinā	Brother-in-law	machiṉaṉ	Brother-in-law	Kinship
mayil	Fur, any hair other than on the head/face			Daily
mella	Gentle, tame, obedient			Daily
mudala	Money	mudhal	Capital	Trade
mudalāli	Merchant, owner of a shop	mudhalāḷi	Merchant	Trade
mudali	Part of a name	mudhaliyār	Name of a caste	Personal name
muḍukkuva	Narrow street, slum			Daily
mulu	whole, entire			Daily
muranḍu	Obstinate, wanting to fight			Daily
muruṃgā	"Drumsticks", the edible fruits of the Drumstick tree (Moringa oleifera)	muruṅgai	Horse-radish tree	Food
mūḍiya	lid			Daily
mūṭṭi	Earthen cooking pot			Daily
mūṭṭuva	bale/bagful			Daily
nāḍagama	Stage-play	naādagam	Drama, stage-play	Culture
nōṃjal, nōṃcal	feeble, unsteady			Daily
naṃgī	Younger sister	naṅgai	Young girl	Kinship
nōnḍi, nonḍi	lame			Daily
nūla	String/Thread			Daily
oppuva	Proof	oppu		Administration
ottē	Odd number	otṟai	Odd number	Trade
ottuva	Espionage	otṟu	Espionage	Administration
padakkama	Medal	padhakkam	Medal	Administration
pāḍama	Lesson	pāadam	Lesson	Culture
paḍiya	Wage	paṭi	Extra pay	Administration
pālama	Bridge	pāalam	Bridge	Construction
paḷiya	Revenge	paḻi	Guilt, revenge	Daily
palliya	Church/Mosque	palli	Church/Mosque	Daily
pandalama	Bower, shady place	pandhal	Bower, shady place	Daily
pandama	Torch	pandham	Torch	Religious
peruṃkāyam	Asafoetida		Asafoetida	Daily
parippu	Lentils	paruppu	Lentils	Food
piṭṭu	A rice dish	piṭṭu	A rice dish	Food
poḍi	Small, little	podi	Small	Daily
poṭṭuva	Bindi	pottu		Daily
poraya	Fight	pōr	Fight	Military
poronduva	Agreement, promise	porundhu-	To fit, to agree	Daily
porottuva	Delay, waiting	poṟutthu	Having waited	Daily
pūccama	Boast, brag			Daily
pullē	Part of a name	Pillai	Part of a name (originally a Hindu title)	Personal name
pūṇa nūla	Sacred string/cord that Brahmins wear over their shoulder	poo-nool		Daily
saiva, sāiva	Shivaite			Daily
salli	Money	salli	Coin	Trade
saṇḍuva	Fight	saṇdai	Fight	Military
sekkuva	Oil mill			Daily
sembuva	Small metal pot			Daily
seṃkamālaya	jaundice			Daily
sereppuva	Sandals	seruppu	Sandals	Daily
sotti	Crippled, deformed	sothhai	Emaciated person, defect	Daily
suli	whirl, vortical			Daily
suruṭṭuva	Cigar	suruṭṭu	Cigar	Daily
takkāli	Tomato	thakkaāḷi	Tomato	Food
talluva	A push	thaḷḷu-	To push	Daily
tambiyā	Derogatory term for a Muslim man	tambi	Younger brother	Daily
tani	Alone	thaṉi	Alone	Daily
täpäl	Postal	tabaāl	Postal, mail	Administration
tarama	Size, position, quantity	tharam	Quality, sort	Trade
taṭṭa	Bald	thaṭṭai	Baldness	Daily
tāliya	A necklace signifying marriage			Daily
tāttā	Father	thāathaā	Grandfather	Kinship
taṭṭuva	A knock	thaṭṭu-	To knock	Daily
tōḍuva	A hollow cylindrical earring			Daily
tunḍuva	bit/scrap			Daily
uḍäkkiya	A narrow drum	udukkai	A narrow drum	Daily
udavva	Help	udhavi	Help	Daily
ulukkuva	Sprain (of a joint)	suḷukku	Sprain	Daily
ūḷiyama	Tax payable by foreigners	ooḻiyam	Service	Administration
uraya	Covering/Case			Daily
vaṭṭiya	Type of shallow basket			Daily
veri	Drunk	veṟi	intention, madness	Daily

In Sinhala verbs

Several verbs have been adopted into Sinhala from the Tamil language. The vast majority of these are compound verbs consisting of a Tamil origin primary verb and a Sinhala origin light verb.

Sinhala	Sinhala transliteration	Meaning	Tamil transliteration	Meaning
ඉරනවා	iranavā	To tear
කිට්ටු වෙනවා	kiṭṭu venavā	To get close, to near	kitta varai
කොල්ල කරනවා	kolla karanavā	To plunder
නෝන්ඩි වෙනවා	nōnḍi venavā	To be humiliated/embarrassed
පරක්කු වෙනවා	parakku venavā	To be late/delayed
පත්තු කරනවා	pattu karanavā	To light, to set on fire	patṟu-	To catch fire
පේරු වැටෙනවා	pēru väṭenavā	To fall to someone by chance	pēṟu	Luck ll
පේරු වැටෙනවා	poḍi venavā	To be crushed/crumpled
පූට්ටු කරනවා	pūṭṭu karanavā	To splice, to fasten together
තල්ලු කරනවා	tallu karanavā	To push	thaḷḷu-	To push
තට්ටු කරනවා	taṭṭu karanavā	To knock	thaṭṭu-
	udav karanavā	To help
වෙඩි කනවා	veḍi kanavā	To have been shot	vedi	Shot, dynamite
වෙඩි තියනවා	veḍi tiyanavā	To shoot, to fire	vedi	Shot, dynamite
වෙරි වෙනවා	veri venavā	To become drunk	veri

References

^ "Catamaran; Define Catamaran at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
^ "Cheroot; Define Cheroot at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
^ "Corundum; Define Corundum at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
^ "mulligatawny, n.". Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2003.
^ "patchouli". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
^ "Pandal; Define Pandal at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
^ Mar Thomma Margam by Pathikulangara Varghese Kathanar

[1] "Catamaran; Define Catamaran at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 14 September 2013.

[2] "Cheroot; Define Cheroot at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 14 September 2013.

[3] "Corundum; Define Corundum at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 14 September 2013.

[4] "mulligatawny, n.". Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2003.

[5] "patchouli". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 14 September 2013.

[6] "Pandal; Define Pandal at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 14 September 2013.

[7] Mar Thomma Margam by Pathikulangara Varghese Kathanar

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]