Hindu

Meaning

Adj

Of, or relating to Hinduism, or to Hindus and their culture.

Noun

1. A person adhering to the Hindu religion (Hinduism).
2. Any native inhabitant of Hindustan.
3. (obsolete) A bunnia (merchant or trader) with a company of soldiers.
4. A person of Indian religion and race.

Synonyms

Indian

🇮🇳/🇮🇴

Hindoo

Hindi

Hindustani

Hinduistic

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈhɪnduː/

Etymology

From Classical Persian هِنْدُو (hindū, “Indian, Hindu”), from Middle Persian hndwk' (Hindūg, “Indian”), from hnd (Hind, “India”), from Old Persian 𐏃𐎡𐎯𐎢 (hiⁿdu-, “India”), from Sanskrit सिन्धु (síndhu, “river, stream; Indus”), from Proto-Indo-Aryan *síndʰuṣ, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *síndʰuš (“river”).