badaga
|ba-da-ga|
🇺🇸
/bəˈdɑɡə/
🇬🇧
/bəˈdɑːɡə/
Nilgiri ethnic group and their Dravidian language
Etymology
'Badaga' originates from Kannada or Old Kannada, specifically the word 'badaga' (sometimes written 'badagu'), where it is commonly reported to have meant 'elder' or been used as an ethnonym.
'Badaga' appears in regional usage from Old Kannada influences and was applied to the community in the Nilgiri Hills; over time the term came to denote both the people and their language, becoming the modern English name 'Badaga'.
Initially associated with an attribute or ethnonym (reported meanings include 'elder' or regional designation), it evolved into the specific name for the group and their language, with the modern meaning being the ethnonym and language name 'Badaga'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a Dravidian language spoken by the Badaga people in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, India.
Linguists have documented several dialects of badaga in the Nilgiri region.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the ethnic group native to the Nilgiri Hills, often referred to as the Badaga people.
Many badaga maintain distinct cultural traditions and festivals in the region.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/29 18:42