வாய்

• IPA^(key): /ʋaːj/

• Audio:

  (file)

Inherited from Proto-Dravidian *wāy. Cognate with Brahui با (bā), Irula வாயி (vāyi), Kannada ಬಾಯಿ (bāyi), Malayalam വായ് (vāyŭ), Telugu వాయి (vāyi).

வாய் • (vāy)

1. (anatomy) mouth; beak of birds
2. mouth, opening (of a vessel)
3. sauciness
4. mouthful, bite
5. lip

   Synonym: உதடு (utaṭu)

6. edge, rim; edge of a sword

   Synonyms: விளிம்பு (viḷimpu), முனை (muṉai)

7. entrance, opening, gate

   Synonyms: வாயில் (vāyil), வாசல் (vācal)

8. way, path

   Synonym: வழி (vaḻi)

• வா (vā) — Spoken Tamil

வாய் • (vāy) (intransitive)

1. to happen with certainty; to come true; obtain, realise

   அவனைக் காண ஒரு வாய்ப்பு எனக்கு வாய்க்கவில்லை.

   avaṉaik kāṇa oru vāyppu eṉakku vāykkavillai.

   I did not get a chance to see him.

2. (colloquial, highly offensive, derogatory) to be born

   Synonyms: பிற (piṟa), தோன்று (tōṉṟu)

   சனியனே! சனியனே! வந்து வாச்சிருக்கியே! ஏண்டா உன்ன பெத்தேன்னு கூட தெரியல​. (colloquial)

   caṉiyaṉē! caṉiyaṉē! vantu vāccirukkiyē! ēṇṭā uṉṉa pettēṉṉu kūṭa teriyala​.

   You piece of shit! Why were you even born? I don't even know why I brought you into this world.

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

வாய் • (vāy) (transitive, defective)

1. to have, possess

   Synonym: உடை (uṭai)

   சக்தி வாய்ந்த மருந்து.

   cakti vāynta maruntu.

   Powerful medicine.

   (literally, “Medicine possessing power.”)

• Only the past forms of the verb are still in use. Other forms are obsolete.

• S. Ramakrishnan (1992), “வாய்”, in தற்காலத் தமிழ் அகராதி [Dictionary of Contemporary Tamil] (in Tamil), Madras: Cre-A Publishers, page [1]
• University of Madras (1924–1936), “வாய்”, in Tamil Lexicon, Madras [Chennai]: Diocesan Press
• University of Madras (1924–1936), “வாய்-த்தல்”, in Tamil Lexicon, Madras [Chennai]: Diocesan Press
• University of Madras (1924–1936), “வாய்-தல்”, in Tamil Lexicon, Madras [Chennai]: Diocesan Press