kalamkari

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noun

a type of hand-printed cotton cloth from India

OriginHindi कलमकारी ← Telugu కలంకారి ← Persian قلم →
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Meanings

nounkalamkari (countable and uncountable, plural kalamkaris)

plural kalamkaris

  1. countableuncountablea type of hand-printed cotton cloth from India

Origin

  1. Persianقلم“pen”
  2. Teluguకలంకారి
  3. Hindiकलमकारी
  4. Englishkalamkari

From Hindi कलमकारी (kalamkārī), Telugu కలంకారి (kalaṅkāri), from Persian قلم (qalam, “pen”) + کاری (kâri, “craftsmanship”).

More words from Hindi, Telugu, Persian

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Cite this entry
APA

kalamkari. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kalamkari

MLA

“kalamkari.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kalamkari. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kalamkari,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kalamkari.

Source: kalamkari on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.