Sinhalese

Also found in: Thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

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.]

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

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:

Switch to new thesaurus

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)

Sinhalese

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

References in periodicals archive ?

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Pope Francis pressed his call for Sri Lankan reconciliation Wednesday by canonizing the country's first saint as a model for national unity and visiting the war-ravaged north to pray at a shrine revered by both Sinhalese and Tamil faithful.

Pope presses call for Sri Lankan reconciliation on Day 2

Pakistan, March 15 -- The Sri Lankan independence struggle saw a number of individuals with an intense love for the Sinhalese Buddhist nation and fought an ideological battle to achieve self-rule and freedom from the British crown.

A number of flaws in the way we obtained independence

The footage showed the women being killed after being stripped and sexually abused by Sinhalese soldiers, apparently during the last phase of the war against the LTTE.

Oxford cancels ' war- tainted' Rajapaksa's lecture

The authorities have yet to give precise details of her offence, but it is understood two of her recently published books allegedly offended ethnic Sinhalese Buddhists, who account for more than 70 per cent of Sri Lanka's 20 million population.

Family hopeful of author's release

Sri Lanka, almost since independence in 1948, has been racked by acrimonious rivalry between the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamils, who make up 12 percent of today's 21.

Two Sri Lankan heroes cross swords as a presidential election nears

Now is the time for the government to engage the Tamils, Sinhalese and other Sri Lankans to create a political arrangement that promotes and protects the rights of all Sri Lankans,'' the spokesman said.

U.S. hails end of fighting in Sri Lanka

Good riddance, for they were brutal extremists who killed their own Tamil people to enforce unquestioning obedience, just as readily as their suicide bombers killed the majority Sinhalese population.

Sri Lanka after the war

Its main ethnic populations are the Buddhist Sinhalese majority (74%), Hindu Tamils (8%) and Muslims (7%).

'The most dangerous and deadly extremist outfit in the world'

For those of us who had to at work today, ad for those who didnt fancy rising at 5am, heres a chance to see the best of the action from the second day of the Second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo between Sri Lanka and England.

PICK OF THE DAY; Test Cricket (Sky Sports 1, 5.30pm)

In the first half of this text, DeVotta (political science, Hartwick College, US) offers an institutionalist explanation for the origins of ethnic conflict between Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority and Tamil minority, focusing on the impact of the rise of Sinhalese linguistic nationalism and the exacerbating effect of the country's political structures.

Politics of conflict and peace in Sri Lanka

Police said the victims were primarily ethnic Sinhalese.

Backlash after landmine kills 62 in bus

The church has a responsibility, he said, because Christians come from both the Tamil and Sinhalese peoples.