Vedda

noun

Ved·​da ˈve-də How to pronounce Vedda (audio)
variants or Veddah
: a member of an aboriginal people of Sri Lanka

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Sinhalese væddā, borrowed from a Dravidian source akin to Tamil vēṭu "hunter," Malayalam vēṭan, Kannada bēḍa

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Vedda was in 1681

Dictionary Entries Near Vedda

Cite this Entry

“Vedda.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Vedda. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

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