South Dravidian etymology : Query result

Proto-South Dravidian : *maṬ-

Meaning : folly, ignorance

Dravidian etymology: Dravidian etymology

Tamil : maṭam

Tamil meaning : ignorance, folly, simplicity, credulity, artlessness, beauty, tenderness, acquiescence

Tamil derivates : maṭamai ignorance, stupidity, silliness, folly; maṭa-vā to be charming as a girl; maṭa-varal simplicity, artlessness; woman; maṭavan_ stupid person; fem. maṭavaḷ; maṭavār, maṭavōr women; fools; maṭan_ ignorance, credulity; ignorant person; maṭaiyan_ blockhead; maṭantai woman, woman between the ages of 14 and 19, girl who has not attained puberty; maṭappam simplicity, credulity; maṭṭan_ dullard; maṭṭi dolt, blockhead; clumsiness, awkwardness, roughness, coarseness; maṭṭitan_am stupidity, foolishness; maṭṭai stupid fellow; maṇṭu fool; maṇṇan_ clodhopper, dullard, stupid person

Malayalam : maṭam

Malayalam meaning : stupidity

Malayalam derivates : maṭanta young woman; maṭayan stupid person; maṭava a grown woman; maṭavi servant girl; maṭṭataram rusticity, awkwardness; maṭṭi clumsy

Kannada : maṭa

Kannada meaning : confusion, stupidity, deceit, ignorance

Kannada derivates : maṭṭa illusion, phantom; maḍḍa stupid man; maḍḍatana stupidity; maḍḍi a stupid, dull, awkward person; awkwardness, clumsiness, rudeness; maḍadi woman, wife

Proto-Nilgiri : *mad_-

Notes :

The root forms part of a large 'word-family' with the structure MVT- (where T
= a dental/retroflex consonant/cluster), so it's hard to reconstruct the exact
form. Most probable is the variant according to which the regular accented
variant is *maḍḍ-, the regular unaccented variant is *maḍ-.
The nasal forms (in Tamil) can be explained as results of contamination with
*moṇḍ- 'lame, blunt, stupid'. Kannada maṭa, however, is irregular in
any case.

Number in DED : 4647