உ-

See also: உ, -உ, and ௨

Tamil

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʊ/, [ɯ]

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Dravidian *u-.

Prefix

உ- • (u-) (archaic & literary outside Sri Lanka)

yonder demonstrative marker.
‎உ- (u-) + ‎-வன் (-vaṉ) → ‎உவன் (uvaṉ, “he (yonder)”)

Etymology 2

Prefix

உ- • (u-)

an euphonic prothesis used in loanwords beginning with the sounds யு, யூ, யோ, ரு, ரூ, ரோ, லு, லூ, லோ (yu, yū, yō, ru, rū, rō, lu, lū, lō) to make them grammatically acceptable.
Near-synonyms: அ- (a-), இ- (i-)

‎உ- (u-) + ‎ரோமம் (rōmam, from Sanskrit रोमन् (roman)) → ‎உரோமம் (urōmam)

‎உ- (u-) + ‎English Russia → ‎உருசியா (uruciyā)

Derived terms

Tamil terms prefixed with உ-

உருத்திரன்

உரூபாய்

See also

அ- (a-)
இ- (i-)
எ- (e-)

References

Miron Winslow (1862), “உ”, in A comprehensive Tamil and English dictionary of high and low Tamil, Madras: P. R. Hunt
University of Madras (1924–1936), “உ”, in Tamil Lexicon, Madras [Chennai]: Diocesan Press