Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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noun
Synonym of outcast: A person despised and excluded by their family, community, or society, especially a member of the untouchable castes in Indian society.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: outcast
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A similarly despised group of people or species of animal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Ellipsis of pariah dog (“an Indian breed, any stray dog in Indian contexts”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a person who is rejected (from society or home)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: outcast, castaway, Ishmael
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: unfortunate, unfortunate person
Narrower terms: heretic, misbeliever, religious outcast, leper, untouchable, Harijan
History
From Tamil பறையர் (paṟaiyar), from பறையன் (paṟaiyaṉ, “drummer”), from பறை (paṟai, “drum”) or from Malayalam പറയർ (paṟayaṟ), from പറയൻ (paṟayaṉ, “drummer”), from പറ (paṟa, “drum”). Parai in Tamil or Para in Malayalam refers to a type of large drum designed to announce the king’s notices to the public. The people who made a living using the parai were called paraiyar; in the caste-based society, they were in the lower strata, hence the derisive paraiah and pariah. Alternatively, derived from Sanskrit पर (para, “distant; outsider”).
Across languages
23 source translations are retained for this English entry.
