English edit

Etymology edit

From Tamil சுண்ணம் (cuṇṇam, lime, ground mortar), from Sanskrit चूर्ण (cūrṇa, powder; lime).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

chunam (usually uncountable, plural chunams)

  1. A type of plaster used in India, made from shell-lime and sand.

Verb edit

chunam (third-person singular simple present chunams, present participle chunaming or chunamming, simple past and past participle chunamed or chunammed)

  1. (transitive) To plaster or waterproof with chunam.
    • The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 8 March 1848
      A PUNT FOR SALE, thirty-four feet long, twelve feet broad, and three feet ten inches deep, chunamed, sheathed, and coppered, carries about fifteen tons.

Anagrams edit