tilak

IPA/ˈtɪlæk/
IPA/ˈtɪlæk/

tilak — noun

1. a mark placed in the middle of the forehead that signals a person's Hindu faith,

1.nounC1
Definition

a mark placed in the middle of the forehead that signals a person's Hindu faith, indicates the deity they worship, or serves as ornament for religious festivals.

Example

Every morning before leaving for work, Ishaan applies a small red tilak to his forehead.

collocation: apply a tilak to [body part]

At the temple, the priest gave each visitor a tilak of sandalwood paste.

collocation: tilak of [substance] | common with sandalwood paste

Common collocations
  • tilak on the forehead
  • apply a tilak
  • wear a tilak
  • red tilak
  • yellow tilak
  • sandalwood tilak
  • tilak ceremony
  • forehead tilak
Synonyms
  • bindi

    A bindi is usually a smaller decorative dot worn by women, often not religious — a tilak is typically larger and religious.

  • pottu

    South Indian equivalent for bindi/tilak; regional term used mainly in Tamil culture.

  • tilaka

    Sanskrit-derived alternative name for the same mark; more formal or textual.

Grammar Patterns

wear a tilak

apply a tilak

tilak + preposition 'on' + body-part

Usage Note

Commonly applied with coloured powders such as kumkum (red), sandalwood paste (yellow), or ash (white/grey). The tilak is also called a 'tilaka' in Sanskrit texts. Used by both men and women, though the style and occasion may differ.

Common Mistakes

She put a tilak on her wrist.
She put a tilak on her forehead.
A tilak is specifically a forehead mark, not placed on other body parts.
Tilak is only worn by married women.
Tilak is worn by men, women, and children, though the reasons and styles vary.
It is not limited by gender or marital status.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Tilak, bindi, pottu, and tilaka all refer to forehead marks connected to South Asian cultures, but they differ in religious weight, gender use, and region. A tilak is primarily a religious Hindu mark made with sandalwood paste, ash, or coloured powder; it can cover a large area of the forehead and is worn by both men and women. A bindi is typically a smaller decorative dot worn by women in South Asia — often fashion rather than faith — and may be a sticker or jewellery piece. The pottu is the Tamil term for the same decorative dot, common in southern India and Sri Lanka. Tilaka is simply the Sanskrit word for tilak and is used interchangeably in formal or textual contexts. For example: a groom might receive a tilak at his wedding ceremony, while a woman heading to a party might wear a decorative bindi to match her outfit.

bindi ↗pottutilaka

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • apply a tilak
  • wear a tilak
  • mark of tilak
  • place a tilak

Prepositions

Etymology

SanskritHindiEnglish

Comes from the Sanskrit word 'tilaka' (तिलक), which originally meant 'ornament' or 'mark'. The word is related to 'tila' (तिल), meaning 'sesame seed' — possibly because early tilak marks were small and seed-shaped, or because ground sesame was used in the paste.