List of English words of Hindi or Urdu origin

This is a list of English language words of Hindi language origin. Many of the Hindi and Urdu equivalents have originated from Sanskrit; see List of English words of Sanskrit origin. Many others are of Persian origin; see List of English words of Persian origin. Some of the latter are in turn of Arabic or Turkish origin. In some cases words have entered the English language by multiple routes - occasionally ending up with different meanings, spellings, or pronunciations, just as with words with European etymologies. Many entered English during the British Raj when many treated Hindi and Urdu as varieties of Hindustani. These borrowings, dating back to the colonial period, are often labeled as "Anglo-Indian".

B

Bandanna 

from Bandhna,(बांधना) to tie a scarf around the head.

Bangle 

from Bāngṛī बांगड़ी, a type of bracelet.

Blighty 

"Britain" (as a term of endearment among British troops stationed in Colonial India): from Hindi-Urdu vilāyatī (विलायती, ولايتى) "foreign", ultimately from Arabo-Persian ولايتى "provincial, regional".

Bungalow

from बंगला banglA & Urdu بنگلہ banglA, literally, "(house) in the Bengal style".

C

Cheetah 

from cītā, चीता, meaning "variegated".

Chicanery 

comes out of the mughal word for polo "chaugan" or horse ball, "chicanery" deriving from British experience of the deviousness or clever play of mughal players.

Chit 

from चिट्ठी Chitthi, a letter or note.

Chutney 

from चटनी chatni, meaning "to crush"

Cot 

from Khāt, खाट, a portable bed.

Cummerbund 

from kamarband , cf. कमरबन्द - Urdu کمربند, meaning "waist binding" [ultimately from Persian کمربند]

Curry

from karī, ultimately from Tamil.

Cushy

probably from khushi, cf. Hindi ख़ुशी - Urdu خوشی "easy, happy, soft" [ultimately from Persian]; but some sources prefer an origin from "cushion"

D

Dacoit 

from डकैत् Dakait, meaning a member of a class of criminals who engage in organized robbery and murder.

Dekko 

(UK slang for 'a look') from देखो Dekho, the imperative 'look', (دیکھو देखो ) meaning look at or study something.

Dinghy

from Dinghi, meaning boat

G

Garam Masala

from Hindi and Urdu गरम मसaल‌ گرم مصالحه garam masaalaa, literally "warm ( = hot) mixture".

Guru

from Hindi guru "teacher, priest," from Sanskrit guru-s "one to be honored, teacher," literally "heavy, weighty,"

Gymkhana 

A term which originally referred to a place where sporting events take place and referred to any of various meets at which contests were held to test the skill of the competitors. In English-speaking countries, a gymkhana refers to a multi-game equestrian event performed to display the training and talents of horses and their rider [-khānā from Pers. khānāh خانه "house, dwelling"]

J

Jaconet

modification of Sanskrit jagannaath, from Jagannath (Puri), [India], where such cloth was first made.

Jinnah cap

after Pakistani statesman Muhammad Ali Jinnah died in 1948. A hat shaped like a fez but made of real or imitation karakul and worn by Pakistani Muslims on occasion. It is called a "Karakulli topi" (Topi meaning cap).

Jodhpurs

Full-length trousers, worn for horseback riding, that are close-fitting below the knee and have reinforced patches on the inside of the leg. Named after Jodhpur , where similar garments are worn by Indian men as part of everyday dress.

Juggernaut 

from Jagannath (Sanskrit: जगन्नाथ jagannātha), a form of Vishnu particularly worshipped at the Jagannath Temple, Puri, Orissa where during Rath Yatra festival thousands of devotees pull temple carts some 14m (45 feet) tall, weighing hundreds of tons through the streets. These carts seat three images of the deity, meant to be brothers for a 'stroll' outside after the ritual worship session. They are fed by thousands and thousands of worshipers with holy food, as if the icons were living. Early European visitors witnessed these festivals and returned with—possibly apocryphal—reports of religious fanatics committing suicide by throwing themselves under the wheels of the carts. So the word became a metaphor for something immense and unstoppable because of institutional or physical inertia; or impending catastrophe that is foreseeable yet virtually unavoidable because of such inertia.

Jungle 

from जङल् jangal, another word for wilderness or forest.

K

Khaki

from खकि khākī "of dust colour, dusty, grey", cf. Hindi ख़ाकी - Urdu خاکی [ultimately from Persian].

L

Loot 

from LooT लूट, meaning 'steal'.

M

Multan

from Multan, Pakistan. A kind of rug prevalent there.

P

Pashmina

from Hindi पश्मीना, Urdu پشمينه, ultimately from Persian پشمينه.

Poori

from Hindi poori, from Sanskrit पुर (pura) or "cake".

Pundit 

from पण्डित Pandit, meaning a learned scholar or Priest.

Pukka 

(UK slang: "genuine") from Pakkā पक्का,پکا cooked, ripe, solid.

Pyjamas

from Hindi, पैजामा (paijaamaa), meaning "leg garment", coined from Persian پاى "foot, leg" and جامه "garment" .

R

Raita

from Hindi & Urdu रय्त‌ ریتا rayta. yogurt based dish, some add sliced/chopped/diced, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, pineapples, pomigranite or other salads to compliment rice or roti meals.

Roti

from Hindi & Urdu रॊटि روٹی roti "bread"; akin to Prakrit रॊत्त‌ rotta "rice flour", Sanskrit रोटिका rotika "kind of bread".

S

Shampoo 

from chāmpo (चाँपो /tʃãːpoː/) is the imperative of chāmpnā (चाँपना /tʃãːpnaː/), "to smear, knead the muscles, massage" (the scalp massage with some kind of oily or treacly mixture just before a bath).

Shawl

A piece of fabric worn by women over the shoulders or head or wrapped around a baby. From Urdu and Persian šāl, probably from Shāliāt, the name of a town in India.

T

Thug 

from Thagi ठग, meaning "thief or conman".

Toddy (also Hot toddy) 

from Tārī ताड़ी, juice of the palmyra palm.

V

Verandah

courtyard

See also

• Indian English
• Hobson-Jobson
• List of English words of Sanskrit origin
• Lists of English words of international origin
• Technical English words in Hindi

External links

• Category: Hindi derivations in Wiktionary
• Etymology of Selected Words of Indian Language Origin in Colonial & Postcolonial Literary Dialogues