Word of the Day - 08/29/26
pariah
/pə'raɪə/(n.): a person who is rejected (from society or home)
Ostracized by his community, he lived as a pariah, unwanted and alone.
Word Origin
The word 'pariah' originates from the Tamil word 'paṟaiyar' or 'paṟaiyan', which refers to a member of a low caste in southern India, traditionally one whose duty was to beat a drum (a 'paṟai') at festivals and funerals. The word entered English via Portuguese as 'pária'.
Tamil has contributed several words to English, often through Portuguese or other European languages. “Mango” comes from Tamil māṅkāy (மாங்காய்), referring to the fruit; “curry” is generally traced to Tamil kari (கறி), meaning a sauce, relish, or spiced dish; “congee” comes from Tamil kañci (கஞ்சி), referring to a rice porridge; and “ginger” entered English through a long chain of languages ultimately connected to the Tamil iñci (இஞ்சி), meaning ginger.