தமிழ்நாடு

• தமிழ் நாடு (tamiḻ nāṭu) — alternative spelling

Compound of தமிழ் (tamiḻ, “Tamil language”) +‎ நாடு (nāṭu, “land, country, province”), literally “land of Tamils”.

First attested in c. 5th century Cilappatikaram, referring to the Tamilakam region.

• IPA^(key): /t̪ɐmɪɻn̪aːɖʊ/, [t̪ɐmɪɻn̪aːɖɯ]

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தமிழ்நாடு • (tamiḻnāṭu)

1. Tamil Nadu (a state in southern India)

   Synonym: தமிழகம் (tamiḻakam)

2. (historical) the Tamil speaking lands as a whole.

• S. Ramakrishnan (1992), “தமிழ்நாடு”, in தற்காலத் தமிழ் அகராதி [Dictionary of Contemporary Tamil] (in Tamil), Madras: Cre-A Publishers, page [1]

• N. Kathiraiver Pillai (1889), “தமிழ்நாடு”, in தமிழ் மொழி அகராதி [Tamil language dictionary] (in Tamil), Chennai: Pi. Ve. Namacivaya Mutaliyar, published 1928