mridangam

The story

1. Hindi · borrowed fromमृदङ्ग
2. Tamil · borrowed fromமிருதங்கம்
3. Sanskrit · derived fromमृदङ्ग
4. Malayalam · borrowed fromമൃദംഗം
5. English todaymridangam

Borrowed from Malayalam മൃദംഗം (mr̥daṅgaṁ), from Sanskrit मृदङ्ग (mṛdaṅga). Alternative forms are from various other Indian languages such as miruthangam, mirudhangam are borrowed from Tamil மிருதங்கம் (mirutaṅkam), mridang from Hindi मृदङ्ग (mŕdaṅg) etc.

First known use, by meaning

• from 19th c. A percussion instrument used in southern Indian music, consisting of a two-sided drum whose body is usually made from a hollowed piece of jackfruit wood.