எ-

• ய- (ya-), யா- (yā-)

Inherited from Proto-Dravidian *yĀ-.

• IPA^(key): /e/

எ- • (e-) (Formal Tamil)

1. (interrogative) what, which

   Synonym: எந்த (enta)

   எக்கடைக்குச் சென்றாள்?

   ekkaṭaikkuc ceṉṟāḷ?

   Which shop did she go to?

• When the words prefixed with this adjective get suffixed with -உம் (-um), together they convey the meanings "any; every, each and every."

  e.g., எ- (e-) + வழி (vaḻi, “way, path”) + -உம் (-um) → எவ்வழியும் (evvaḻiyum, “any way, every way”)

எ- • (e-)

1. interrogative marker.

   ‎எ- (e-) + ‎-வன் (-vaṉ) → ‎எவன் (evaṉ, “who? (masculine)”)

   ‎எ- (e-) + ‎இடம் (iṭam) → ‎எவ்விடம் (evviṭam, “which place?”)

• Similar to the adjective, any words formed with this prefix, when suffixed with -உம் (-um) can convey the meanings "any; every, each and every."

  e.g., ‎எப்பொழுது (eppoḻutu, “when?”, literally “which time”) + ‎-உம் (-um) → ‎எப்பொழுதும் (eppoḻutum, “always”, literally “all time”)

• University of Madras (1924–1936) “எ”, in Tamil Lexicon, Madras [Chennai]: Diocesan Press
• S. Ramakrishnan (1992) “எ”, in தற்காலத் தமிழ் அகராதி [Dictionary of Contemporary Tamil] (in Tamil), Madras: Cre-A Publishers, page [1]