Coromandel
/ˌkɔːrəˈmæn.dəl/noun
A region and former district on the southeastern coast of India; also used historically for goods associated with that coast.
Did you know?The word entered European languages through Portuguese and Dutch trade contact, and in English it became especially associated with the Coromandel Coast and the luxury goods shipped from there.
Etymological Timeline
Tamil/Dravidian source
Tamil
Kōra-mandalam
“Likely a local regional name referring to the Coromandel Coast area”
16th Century
Portuguese
Coromandel
“A European rendering of the coastal name used by traders and navigators”
17th Century
Dutch
Coromandel
“The Coromandel Coast, a major trading region in South India”
17th–18th Century
English
Coromandel
“The Coromandel Coast and goods associated with it, especially imported textiles and lacquerware”
Modern English
English
Coromandel
“A geographic proper noun for the southeastern Indian coast and related historical uses”