Sin·ha·lese

(sĭn′hə-lēz′, -lēs′) also Sing·ha·lese (sĭng′gə-lēz′, -lēs′)

n. pl. Sinhalese or Singhalese

1. A member of a people constituting the majority of the population of Sri Lanka.

2. The Indic language of the Sinhalese that is the chief language of Sri Lanka.

adj.

Of or relating to Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese, or their language or culture.

[Sanskrit Siṁhalam, Sri Lanka + -ese.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Sinhalese

(ˌsɪnhəˈliːz) ,

Singhalese

Sinhala

npl -leses or -lese

1. (Peoples) a member of a people living chiefly in Sri Lanka, where they constitute the majority of the population

2. (Languages) the language of this people, belonging to the Indic branch of the Indo-European family: the official language of Sri Lanka. It is written in a script of Indian origin

adj

3. (Peoples) of or relating to this people or their language

4. (Languages) of or relating to this people or their language

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Sin•ha•lese

(ˌsɪn həˈliz, -ˈlis)

n., pl. -lese.
adj. n.

1. a member of an Indo-Aryan-speaking, chiefly Buddhist people comprising the majority of the inhabitants of Sri Lanka.

2. the Indo-Aryan language of the Sinhalese.

adj.

3. of or pertaining to Sinhalese.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	Sinhalese - a native or inhabitant of Sri Lanka Singhalese Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka, Ceylon - a republic on the island of Ceylon; became independent of the United Kingdom in 1948 Asian, Asiatic - a native or inhabitant of Asia
	2.	Sinhalese - the Indic language spoken by the people of Sri Lanka Sinhala, Singhalese Sanskrit, Sanskritic language - (Hinduism) an ancient language of India (the language of the Vedas and of Hinduism); an official language of India although it is now used only for religious purposes
Adj.	1.	Sinhalese - of or relating to the Sinhalese languages; "the Sinhalese versions of the Ramayana" Singhalese, Sinhala
	2.	Sinhalese - of or relating to the Sinhalese people; "Sinhalese rebels fighting the Tamils" Singhalese

Translations

singhalesisch

cingalés

cingalais cinghalaisCinghalaise

cingalês

Sinhalese

[ˌsɪnhəˈliːz] Singhalese [ˌsɪŋəˈliːz] adj → cingalais(e)

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

Sinhalese

[ˌsɪnhəˈliːz] adj & n → singalese (m/f)

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

He noted that Gotabaya Rajapaksa is determined to establish a Sinhalese Buddhist only country and will go to any lengths to do that.

Wigneswaran rallies Tamils against Gotabaya

After visiting the temple, the monk told reporters that the gathering would take a "historical decision" to promote the development and security of the Sinhalese - the predominantly Buddhist ethnic group in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka: Security beefed up as Buddhist monks meet over presidential vote in Kandy

Summary: TEHRAN (FNA)- Muslims in Sri Lanka are facing abuses, according to a global human rights body, which has accused the Sinhalese government of complicity in excesses against the community.

Rights Group: Muslims in Sri Lanka Under Threat

For most Sinhalese, it is synonymous with their ethnicity.

Beneath the Surface

In Sri Lanka's diverse society, the Buddhist Sinhalese constitute about 70 percent of the total population of 23 million, Hindus 12 percent, Muslims 10 percent, and Christians 7 percent.

International involvement essential in Sri Lanka bombings probe

THIS was Sri Lanka's worst terror attack since the civil war between minority Tamils and the government representing the Sinhalese majority which ended in 2009.

The hallmarks of revenge strikes by Islamic State

Sri Lanka has a population more than Twenty one Million .Major components of population are Sinhalese and Tamils.

Sri Lanka

They destroyed Buddhist temples and, in many wars, created havoc among the Sinhalese population.

Colombo to Jaffna

Maithripala Sirisena told local editors in Colombo that he will ask the UN General Assembly to allow Sri Lanka to amicably resolve" war crime allegations against the majority Sinhalese government forces who fought a 37-year conflict against Tamil separatists.

Sri Lanka seeks UN reprieve over war crimes probe

A majority of the Sri Lankan population is Sinhalese and mainly Buddhist with mostly Tamils Hindu being the largest minority.

Buddhist rage against Muslims in Sri Lanka