kathakali

K5A1T1H4A1K5A1L1I1
/ˌkætəˈkæli/

noun

a spectacular lyric dance drama of southern India performed with acrobatic energy and highly stylized pantomime.

OriginMalayalam കഥകളി →
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Meanings

nounkathakali (plural kathakalis)

plural kathakalis

  1. a spectacular lyric dance drama of southern India performed with acrobatic energy and highly stylized pantomime.

Origin

  1. Malayalamകഥകളി
  2. Malayalamകഥകളി
  3. Englishkathakali

Borrowed from Malayalam കഥകളി (kathakaḷi).

More words from Malayalam

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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