ஓம்

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /oːm/

Etymology 1

Ultimately from Proto-Dravidian *ām (“yes, let it be so”), a contraction of Proto-Dravidian *ākum (“it will be so, it shall be so”, see ஆகு (āku, “to become”), ஆகும் (ākum)), Doublet of ஆம் (ām) and ஆமாம் (āmām). Compare Sanskrit आम् (ām, “yes”).

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Sanskrit ॐ (oṃ), see there for further etymology.

References

• Johann Philipp Fabricius, Na. Kadirvelu Pillai, David W. McAlpin, Rajagopal Subramanian, University of Madras, Miron Winslow (2022) “ஓம்”, in Digital Dictionaries of South Asia [Combined Tamil Dictionaries]