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Definition of kadei

kadei

/kɑːˈdeɪ/
ka · dei

Plural:kadeis
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kadei Lexical Profile

• noun

1

A major language family of highly tonal languages spoken in Southeast Asia, southern China, and Northeast India, which includes Thai and Lao; commonly spelled Kadai or Kra-Dai.

Example

"Linguists studying the Kadei languages often focus on the complex tonal systems shared across the geographic region."


2

A thick, circular, and deep cooking pot similar to a wok, used traditionally in South Asian cuisine; an alternative spelling of kadai or karahi.

Example

"The chef prepared the spicy paneer dish in a traditional copper kadei."

Word Nuance & Usage

Most commonly encountered in academic linguistics referring to the Tai-Kadai (or Kra-Dai) language family, though occasionally used as a variant spelling of 'kadai', an Indian cooking vessel.

• Rhymes for kadei

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the linguistic classification 'Kadai' (or Kra-Dai), coined by anthropologist Paul K. Benedict in 1942. When referring to the cooking vessel, it is an anglicized variant of the Hindi word 'kaṛāhī'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Kadei. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/kadei
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