Telugu
/ˈtɛl.ʊ.ɡuː/noun
A Dravidian language spoken mainly in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Did you know?The origin of the name Telugu is uncertain, but scholars have long connected it to older forms like Trilinga, a name tied in tradition to three sacred Shiva lingas in the region.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient/Medieval tradition
Sanskrit
Triliṅga
“"Three lingas," a sacred regional name in later tradition”
Early historical period
Prakrit/Regional
Telinga / Telingaṇa
“A regional ethnonym or place-name form used in older sources”
Medieval period
Persian/Arabic
Telinga / Telingana
“Forms used by outside observers for the region and its people”
16th–18th Century
English
Telugu
“A name for the language and its speakers, adopted into English from South Asian usage”
Modern English
English
Telugu
“The Dravidian language of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana”