I have included in the present work the words derived and gradually adopted from Ssnskrit to meet modern requirements and now appropriated by various writers as part and parcel of the Tamil language. My chief aim has, hover, been to collection as possible of words not found in any previous dictionary, occurring in Sastras, whether existing in print or in manuscript.

To these wishing to study Hindu Philosophy and Metaphuysics, including Vedantam and saiva siddhantam, this dictionary will, it is hoped, be a great help. Medical men will be glad to find in this compilation, botanical and celebrated Pandit Suppiramania. Technical words relating to the science of logic, rhetoric, astroic, astrology, astronomy, chemistry and mathematics have received special attention.'

Thus, the vocabulary of this dictionary is  substantially increased. In fact, it claims the addition of thousands to the sum total of the words given in previous dictionaries, The Sanskrit K†šas were laid largely under contributions and a note announces that, for additional words, we may consult with advantage Sanskrit lexicons like šabda Kalpadruma, šabdast†ma Mahƒnidhi, NƒmaliŒgƒnušƒsanam, Vƒcaspatyam, ect.1 The Jaffan Dictionary had started, in 1842, this practice of incorporating Sanskrit words Whorre sale. Since that time, dictionary-makers, eager to add thousands of transcriding words indiscriminately from the pages of Sanskrti Lexicons. Though Mr. C. W. Katiraiv„l pillai shared this defect in common with his predecessors, he had, in other respects, a high conception of the duties of a lexicographer. He did not shrink from the more laborious task of studying Tamil literature in extenso and adding to the vocabulary.He also introduced a few noteworthy features. Citations from standard authors and approved sources were made with a view to illustrating the meanings and uses of words. Words of Sanskrit origin were traced to their sources and these were given in alphabetical order. the etymology and sometimes the authorities were added at the end along with the number of the meaning. 

THE SANGAM DICTIONARY

But, before the materials so assiduously gathered by that scholar could be put into shape and printed, he died; and the  whole task of editing the dictionary (except the opinion containing அ) devolved on the authorities of the Madura Tamil sangam, which accounts for the work being popularly known as the 'Sangam Dictionary'. The first volume published in 1910 is fairly full; but, owing to various reasons, the two succeeding volumes, published in

¹ On the  Compiler's Tamil Preface wherein he says that vocabulary of an ideal Tamil dictionary will be complete only when all the words of the words of the Sanskrit language are in corporate in thair tabhava or talsama formed.