Malayalam
/ˌmæl.əˈjɑː.ləm/noun
A Dravidian language spoken mainly in the Indian state of Kerala.
Did you know?Malayalam is closely related to the words for the Kerala region’s landscape, and its name reflects a long history of identity shaped by geography, not magic—but the linguistic legacy is still ancient and powerful.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Dravidian
PDr
*mal-
“mountain, hill”
Proto-Dravidian
PDr
*mala-
“hill, mountain”
Old Tamil
Old Tamil
malai
“hill, mountain”
Early Medieval Tamil
Tamil
malai-alam
“hill region; mountainous land”
Medieval Malayalam/Tamil usage
Dravidian
malayāḷam
“the language/region of the hill country”
Modern English
English
Malayalam
“the Dravidian language of Kerala”