See Also: pariah(medicine)
pariah(dictionary)
pariah(dictionary)

pariah (iou)



pariah noun. E17.
[Tamil pa&rbbelow;aiyar pl. of pa&rbbelow;aiyan lit. 'hereditary drummer', from pa&rbbelow;ai drum.]
Orig., a member of a very extensive low caste in southern India, especially numerous at Madras. Later, a member of a low caste or of no Hindu caste. obsolete exc. Hist. E17.
transf. A member of a despised social class; a social outcast. E19.
John Brooke They treated Bute as if he were a pariah..with whom no contact should be made.
= pariah-dog below. E19.
Comb.: pariah brig a deep-sea vessel in use in waters around the Indian subcontinent; pariah-dog (chiefly in the Indian subcontinent) a half-wild stray dog; also called pye-dog.
pariahdom noun the condition of a pariah L19.