vottu

Vottu is a term that may refer to several different things in South Asian languages and onomastics. There is no single, universally defined sense for the word, and its meaning depends on language, script, and context.

In Tamil and related Dravidian languages, vottu represents a transliteration of multiple distinct terms. Because Tamil orthography encodes syllables rather than discrete sounds, the Latin-script form “vottu” can map to different original words with different meanings. Across dialects, sources may describe vottu as a small rounded object or emblem, a motion-related action, or other local meanings. The precise sense is highly context-dependent and may not be interchangeable between communities.

Vottu also occurs as a proper name component. It is attested as a personal or family name in some Tamil-speaking and Sinhala-speaking communities. It can appear in place names (toponyms) in certain regions as well, though such uses are locale-specific and not widely standardized.

Beyond linguistic uses, “Vottu” has appeared as a brand name or project label in various local contexts. These uses are typically isolated and do not reflect a centralized or authoritative definition of the term.

See also: Vote, Votu, and other terms that resemble phonetic variants in related languages.