Sinhalese
pronunciation
How to pronounce Sinhalese in British English: UK [ˌsɪnhəˈli:z]
How to pronounce Sinhalese in American English: US [ˌsɪnhəˈliz, -ˈlis]
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- Noun:
- a native or inhabitant of Sri Lanka
- the Indic language spoken by the people of Sri Lanka
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- Adjective:
- of or relating to the Sinhalese languages
- of or relating to the Sinhalese people
Word Origin
- Sinhalese (adj.)
- also Singhalese, "pertaining to Sri Lanka," 1797, from Sanskrit Sinhala "Sri Lanka, Ceylon," from simhala-, literally "of lions," from simhah "lion." As the name of a language spoken there, it is attested from 1801.
Example
- 1. They will split the vote of the sinhalese majority .
- 2. Of or relating to the sinhalese people .
- 3. Magical animism and buddhism : a structural analysis of the sinhalese religious system .
- 4. Both candidates are sinhalese nationalists ; neither seems keen on national reconciliation .
- 5. These sinhalese say they fled ethnic violence in jaffna at the start of the war in 1983 , and were dispersed in various southern districts .