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Malabar

A native of Malabar.

ˈmæləˌbɑːhistorical881 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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#2·Apr 27, 2026

(India, chiefly, _, historical) , principally the modern state of Kerala.

Origin: From , first attested in the writings of Iranian scholar Al-Biruni (c. 11th century). The second element is or , and the first element is the same as the toponym Μαλέ, mentioned by traveller Cosmas Indicopleustes in the 5th century as a source of pepper exports, concording with modern-day pepper cultivation on the Malabar coast. Mala ~ Male is, in turn, borrowed from . This is also the source of the name of the language: മലയാളം. Compare Zanzibar for a possibly similar word formation. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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#3·Apr 27, 2026

(obsolete) The Tamil language.

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#1·Apr 27, 2026

A native of Malabar.

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