There are many Tamil loanwords in other languages. The Tamil language, primarily spoken in southern India and Sri Lanka, has produced loanwords in many different languages, including Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew, English, Malay, native languages of Indonesia, Mauritian Creole, Tagalog, Russian, and Sinhala and Dhivehi.

In Ancient Greek

Tamil loanwords in Ancient Greek came about due to the interactions of Mediterranean and South Indian merchants. Tamil loanwords entered the Greek language throughout different periods in history. Most words had to do with items of trade that were unique to South India. Although there is general consensus that there are Tamil loanwords in Ancient Greek, few of the words have competing etymologies as well.

In Hebrew

Tamil loanwords in Biblical Hebrew are of particular importance in that they are the earliest attestation of the Tamil language. These words were incorporated into the writing of the Hebrew Bible starting before 500 BCE. Although a number of authors have identified many Biblical and post-Biblical words of Tamil, Old Tamil, or Dravidian origin, a number of them have competing etymologies and some Tamil derivations are considered controversial.

In English

English wordTamil wordTransliterationMeaning in EnglishAiyo! ஐயோ Aiyyo! Oh no! / Oh dear!Anicut அணைக்கட்டு Anaikattu anicut/damCurryகறிkaṟirelish for riceCatamaranகட்டுமரம்kattumarama type of boat, literally "tied logs"Cherootசுருட்டுsuruṭṭurollCorundumகுருந்தம்/குருவிந்தம்kuruntham/kuruvinthamrubyMango மாங்காய் Maangaai unripe mango fruitMoringa முருங்கை Murungai MurungagaaiMulligatawnyமிளகுத்தண்ணிmiḷaku-taṇṇīr/milaguthannipepper waterPatchouliபச்சை இலைpachchai ilaigreen leafPandalபந்தல்pandhaltemporary shelterPariah பறையர் Paraiyar outcast Gingerஇஞ்சி வேர் Inji verginger root

In Malay (including Malaysian and Indonesian)

Interaction between Tamil speakers and Malay speakers has been established from ancient time. Tamil influence has been around such as Palava usage as ancient script in Indonesia (Palava dynasty was existed on 275 CE–897 CE) and Chola invasion of Srivijaya in 1025.

Tamil mainly entered the lexicon of Classical Malay (and by extension, its modern Malaysian and Indonesian standard variants) with the immigration of South Indian traders and labourers who settled around the Strait of Malacca. Henceforth, loanwords from Tamil, while also an Indian language (though not Indo-European like Sanskrit), mainly exist in the fields of commerce and cuisine, the latter like Chinese and unlike Sanskrit. See also Wiktionary:Appendix:Malay words of Tamil origin.

Malay word Malay meaning Tamil Word Tamil Transliteration Tamil Meaning Note acaram 1. ring, 2. earnest money அச்சகாரம் accāram earnest money acu mould, model அச்சு accu mould andai if, suppose அண்டை aṇṭai near, support apam kind of cake, hoppers அப்பம் appam appam, rice cake, bread pastry badai storm வாடை vāṭai wind, north wind bagai sort of வகை vakai kind, sort baji wedge வசி vaci cleft, point, edge basi 1. commission, fee 2. overtime or extra pay 3. reduction (in price), discount வாசி vāci 1. difference 2. rate, as of interest; portion 3. discount, in changing money batil copper bowl, plate, tray வட்டில் vaṭṭil a brass tray, a platter; basket bedil gun, rifle வெடி veṭi explosion, as of gun via Javanese bedhil bendiokra/lady's fingerவெண்டிvendi okra bicu lever வீச்சு vīccu blow, stroke biram 1. elephant, 2. double-headed snake, 3. red வேழம் vēḻam elephant canai grindstone சாணை cāṇai-k-kal grindstone cemeti whip சம்மட்டி cammaṭṭi 1. (horse-)whip, 2. large hammer cerpelai mongoose (Herpestes sp.) கீரிப்பிள்ளை kīri-p-piḷḷai common Indian mungoose, Indian ichneumon, Herpestes mungo cerpu leather sandals (terompah-like) செருப்பு ceruppu leather sandals, slippers, shoes cerutu, cerut, serutu cigar சுருட்டு curuṭṭu 1. curling, coiling; 2. cigar ceti money lender செட்டி ceṭṭi mercantile caste, traders from Prakrit sēṭṭišrēṣṭhin cukai excise tax, custom சுங்கம் cuṅkam duty on goods, customs, tolls from Prakrit šuṅkašulka cuku dried gambier roots சுக்கு cukku dried ginger cuma only, no others சும்மா cummā leisurely, without any occupation or work ? gula sugar குளம் kuḷam sugar *? gulai kind of curry குலை gulai *? gundu marbles குண்டு kuṇṭu ball; anything globular and heavy gurindam two lines rhyme கிரந்தம் kirantam 1. book, treatise 2. A verse or prose containing 32 syllables, šlōka from grantha. helai sheet இலை ilai leaf, petal jodoh, joli mate, partner சோடி cōṭi couple, pair loanword from Hind. jōḍi. joli royal sedan டோலி ṭōli a kind of sedan loanword from Hind. ḍōlā. kambi wooden frames to strengthen the edges of doors கம்பி kampi wall plate kapal boat கப்பல் kappal ship, sailing vessel kari, kare curry கறி kaṟi curry Latter is Indonesian spelling katai, katik small, short கடை kaṭṭai short, low, dwarfish defect, deficiency katelum bastion கொத்தளம் kottalam part of a rampart, bastion, defensive erection on the top of a rampart from Pāli koṭṭhaka kati a measure of weight = 6¼ ons கட்டி kaṭṭi a measure of weight = 25 palams katik 1. Paspalum scrobiculatum, 2. Treron curvirostra, 3. area measurement (of land or field) கட்டை kaṭṭai mile katil bed கட்டில் kaṭṭil 1. cot, bedstead, couch, sofa, 2. Throne kawal guard, escourt காவல் kāval defence, protection, watchman, guard kedai shop, foodstall கடை kaṭai bazaar, shop, market kedelai Glycine max கடலை kaṭalai Cicer arietinum, Melastoma malabaricum Kanarese, Travancore usage kaḍale, Malayalam kaḍalaMalaysian and Singaporean Malay tends to use the Dutch loan soya instead. keledai Equus asinus கழுதை kaḻutai Equus asinus ketumbar Coriandrum sativum கொத்தமல்லி kottamalli Coriandrum sativum from Sanskrit कुस्तुम्बुरु (kustumburu) kodi twenty units கோடி kōṭi 1. Crore, ten millions, 2. large number kolam pool, pond, basin, tank குளம் kuḷam tank, pond, reservoir, lake konde, kundai dressing of hair in large coil on the head கொண்டை koṇṭai tuft, dressing of hair in large coil on the head related to Telugu koṇḍe, Kanarese Travancore goṇḍe, Malayalam koṇṭa korundum natural Aluminum oxide குருந்தம் kuruntam corundum, emery kudai basket made of rattan கூடை kūṭai basket made of rattan, ola or bamboo kuil temple (esp. Hindu ones) கோயில் kōyil 1. palace, 2. temple, sanctuary kulai limp குலை kulai to untie, loosen, dishevel kuli physical worker கூலி kūli 1. wages, pay; 2. fare, hire, freight kundi clay craftsman kuṉṟi ? ladam horseshoe லாடம் lāṭam horseshoe lebai mosque employees லப்பை lappai Tamil-speaking Muslims logam metal உலோகம் ulōkam metal from lōha metal madali a musical instrument மத்தளம் mattaḷam a kind of drum malai strands, garland மாலை mālai anything strung together mahligai, maligai royal chamber in palace மாளிகை māḷikai top floor of a storied building ? mangga mango மாங்காய் māṅkāy mango manik beads maṇi manikam diamond மாணிக்கம் māṇikkam gem, precious stone mendikai, tembikai watermelon கொம்மட்டிக்காய் kommaṭṭikkāy watermelon, cucumber latter is metathesis of former merikan, marikan clothes from America மரிக்கன் marikkaṉ from America maru disturbing ghost மாற்று māṟṟu to change, alter to conceal, hide to shift; to transfer, as from a place matu grade of gold மாற்று māṟṟu degree of fineness of gold or silver mempelam mango மாம்பழம் mā-m-paḻam mango fruit merunggai, remunggai Moringa oleifera முருங்கை muruṅkai Moringa pterygosperma latter is metathesis of former metai bed மெத்தை mettai bed, cushion meterai seal, stamp முத்திரை muttirai 1. impress, mark 2. seal, signet 3. stamp, as for postage, for court fees misai mustache மீசை mīcai 1. upper part, 2. cf. šmašru. moustache modal capital, stock முதல் mutal 1. beginning 2. principal, fund, capital, money yielding interest 3. stock, store mundam large tub for royal bathing முந்தை muntai small vessel mutu 1. quality, purity of gold 2. sad 3. In pinch (chess) முட்டு muttu difficulty, as in passing, hindrance, obstacle, impediment nali volume unit =16 gantang =1/50 koyan நாழி nāḻi tubularity; tube, a measure of capacity, =8 ollocks related to nāḍi nelayan fisherman நுளையன், கரையான், வலையன், வலைஞன் nuḷaiyaṉ, karaiyāṉ, valaiyaṉ, valaiñaṉ, fisher(man) nila indigo நீல nila blue, black, common indigo, blue nelumbo nilai value நிலை nilai standing character, quality, temper, nature nilakandi indigo (color, stone): blue vitriol நீலகண்டன் nīla-kaṇṭaṉ blue vitriol nilam Pycnonotus aurigaster,Pogostemon cablin நீலம் nīlam blue, azure or purple colour ondé-ondé 1. jian dui (Java)2. klepon (Sumatra and Malay Peninsula) உண்டை uṇṭai ball, globe, sphere; anything round or globular panai wooden tray பானை pāṉai 1. large earthen pot or vessel 2. measure of capacity 3. oil measure = 4 cempu pancalogam alloy பஞ்சலோகம் pañcalōkam 1. The five kinds of metal, poṉ, irumpu, cempu, īyam, veḷḷi; 2. Amalgam of the five metals pandam resin (in the grip of keris) பண்டம் pantam 1. substance, material, utensils. 2. belly, body from bhāṇḍa pandu 1. guide 2. to drive பந்து pantu relation, kinsman from bandhu. patam, petam ornament, jewelry பட்டம் paṭṭam plate of gold worn on the forehead, as an ornament or badge of distinction pawai 1. parade, procession 2. royal equipments பவனி pavaṉi parade pelbagai various 1. பல 2. வகை 1. pala 2. vakai 1. many 2. division, class, manner, way, nature, goods, places, detail perisai shield பரிசை paricai 1. shield, buckler (come from phara) 2. large umbrella, as a badge of honour perli satire, mockery புரளி puraḷi 1. lying, falsehood; 2. mischief, waggishness; 3. quarrel, wrangle, broil; petamapபடம்paṭaṁmap peti chest, box பெட்டி peṭṭi chest, trunk, coffer, box pitam headache, dizziness பித்தம்பித்தம் pittampitta lunacy, madnessdizziness puadai red carpet பாவாடை pāvāṭai red carpet pualam marble பவளம் pavaḷam red coral pudi small diamond பொடி poṭi small gem putu kue putu புட்டு puṭṭu puttu ragam variety, trait, character ராகம் (i)rākam desire, color, redness, music roti bread ரொட்டி roṭṭi bread, wheaten cake sambal sambal சம்பாரம் campāram spicy condiments, curry stuff 1. from Sanskrit सम्बार (sambāra) 'spices'. 2. related to sambar (சாம்பார் cāmpār) satai, saté satay சதை catai flesh sedelinggam red paint material சாதிலிங்கம் cātiliṅkam cermilion, red sulphurate of mercury senam calisthenics சானம்சனம் cāṇamcaṉam meditation (dhyāna)people, crowd, herd sengketa to dispute, to antagonize ஸங்கடம் saṅkaṭam trouble talam tray without feet தாலம் tālam 1. eating- plate, porringer, usually of metal. 2. Salver tampah tray தம்பா tampā tray see tatak tambi 1. younger brother (Indian) 2. helper தம்பி tampi younger brother (Indian) tandil overseer தண்டல் taṇṭal tax-collector tandu palanquin தண்டு taṇṭu pole of a palanquin or other vehicle tembaga copper செம்பு cempu copper, gold, metal vessel teman friend தமன் tamaṉ friend (male) terusi, tursi blue vitriol துருசு turucu blue vitriol tirai curtain திரை tirai curtain tolan, taulan friend தோழன் tōlan friend (male) topi hat தொப்பி toppi cap tunai cash துணை tuṇai measure, extent, degree, quantity, number ? undi vote, lots உண்டை uṇṭai ball, globe, sphere; anything round or globular Wéda Vēdas வேதம் vētam Vēdas

In Mauritian Creole

CreoleTamilMeaning Kali Kalli Name of a plant Notchi Notchi Name of a plant Mourouk (Muruku) Murungai Name of a tree Vetivert Vettiver Name of a plant Att Atta Name of a fruit Goyave Koyyu Name of a fruit Pipangaye Peerkanggaye Name of a vegetable Mourroung Murungai (முருங்கை) Moringa Patol Pudol Name of a vegetable Avrayka Avaraykaye Name of a vegetable Kotaranga Kottuvarangaye Name of a vegetable Kotomili Kottumalli Name of a vegetable Karoupillay Karuvepilay Name of a vegetable Betel Vettrilaye Name of a vegetable Pak Paku Name of a vegetable Putu Pittu Name of a cake Ounday Ourounday Name of a cake Mourkou Mouroukkou Name of a snacks Ayo! Ayyo!

In Tagalog