Group of non-Indo-European peoples of the Deccan region of India and in N Sri Lanka. The Dravidian language family is large, with about 20 languages spoken in S India; the main ones are Tamil, which has a literary tradition 2,000 years old; Kanarese; Telugu; Malayalam; and Tulu.

1. A large family of languages spoken in south and central India and Sri Lanka; Also called: Dravidic, Dravidian language.
2. A member of one of the aboriginal races of India (pushed south by Caucasians and now mixed with them).