adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   A colourless crystalline substance, isomeric with piperonal, but having weak acid properties. It is extracted from sandalwood. uncountable
2. 2
   A member of an aboriginal ethnic group living in what is now the eastern states of India, and Bangladesh and Nepal. They are a Munda people speaking the Santali language.

Adjective

1. 1
   Of or pertaining to the Santals. not-comparable

   "Santal rebellion"

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Santalum (“genus of sandalwood”) + -al (“aldehyde”). Compare santyl and santalol

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Bengali সাঁওতাল (śãōtal, “Santal”).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.