Karnatak
/ˌkɑːrnəˈtɑːk/noun
A historical and regional name for Karnataka, a state in southwestern India.
Did you know?The name is historically tied to Kannada-speaking territory, and its older forms were used in Persian, Arabic, and European sources long before the modern state existed.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient/early historical
Dravidian
karu-nāṭu / kar-nāṭu (reconstructed)
“A highland or elevated land; the older regional base behind the name”
Early medieval
Kannada
Karnāṭa
“The Kannada-speaking country or region”
Medieval
Sanskrit
Karnāṭa
“A regional name for the Kannada land, used in learned and literary contexts”
Medieval
Persian/Arabic
Karnātak / Carnatic
“A transliterated name for the southern Indian region”
18th–19th Century
English
Carnatic
“The Anglo-Indian form used for parts of southern India”
Modern English
English
Karnatak / Karnataka
“The modern regional and state name in India”