This is a list of English-language words of Hindi and Urdu origin, two distinguished registers of the Hindustani language (Hindi-Urdu). Many of the Hindi and Urdu equivalents have originated from Sanskrit; see List of English words of Sanskrit origin. Many loanwords are of Persian origin; see List of English words of Persian origin, with some of the latter being in turn of Arabic or Turkic 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 in colonial India. These borrowings, dating back to the colonial period, are often labelled as "Anglo-Indian".
A Avatar From Hindi, inherited from Sanskrit अवतार (avatāra), "to cross down", referring to the descent of a deity from heaven.
Aloo from Hindi, Urdu, and Sanskrit ālū.
B Bandana from (باندھنا/बांधना) to tie. Bangle from बांगड़ी, a type of bracelet.: Pashto: Bangři بنګړي 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/Pashto ولايتي "provincial, regional". Bungalow from बंगला bangla and Urdu بنگلہ bangla, literally, "(house) in the Bengal style".Merriam Webster Online - Bungalow
C Charpoy from / and /. Chaat from Hindustani cāṭ. Cheetah from cītā, چیتا, चीता, meaning "variegated". Chhatri from Hindustani چھتری / छतरी (chatrī, “umbrella, canopy”). Chit from چٹھی चिट्ठी chitthi, a letter or note. Chutney from 'chaṭnī', چٹنی, चटनी, ultimately derived from the full-infinitive word 'chāṭnā', چاٹنا, चाटना, meaning 'to lick'. Cot from khāṭ, खाट, a bed. Chowkat from chokath, چوکھٹ / चौखट, a door frame. Cummerbund ultimately from Persian via Hindi-Urdu /, – from kamar 'waist, loins' and -bandi 'band'. Cushy from Hindi-Urdu /, from Persian خوش ḵuš. Some sources prefer an origin from "cushion"., which says it is "Based on the Random House Dictionary"
D Dacoit from Daku, meaning a member of a class of criminals who engage in organised robbery and murder. Hence also dacoity (banditry) Dekko (UK slang for 'a look') from دیکھو देखो Dekho, the imperative 'look', (دیکھو देखो) meaning look at or study something. Dinghy from Dinghi, small boat, wherry-boat Dungaree Heavy denim fabric, also referring to trousers made thereof, from Hindi डूंगरी (ḍūṅgrī, “coarse calico”), first worn by labourers in the Dongri area of Mumbai (Bombay).
G Ganja Hindi term for cannabis. Popularized by Jamaica after Indian indentured labourers introduced the plant to the island during the 19th century. Garam masala from Hindi गरम मसाला and Urdu گرم مصالحہ garam masālā, literally "hot ( = spicy) mixture",Merriam-Webster Unabridged - Garam Masaalaa from Persian garm 'warm, hot' and Arabic 'benefits, requirements, ingredients'. Gavial from Hindustani ghaṛiyāl,گھڑیال / घड़ियाल, ultimately derived from the Sanskrit word घण्टिक. Guru from Hindi guru "teacher, priest," from Sanskrit गुरु "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.Merriam-Webster Unabridged - Jaconet JodhpursFull-length trousers, worn for horseback riding, that are close-fitting below the knee, flared and roomy at the thigh, 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 ( , ), a form of Vishnu particularly worshipped at the Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha where during Rath Yatra festival thousands of devotees pull three temple carts some 14m (45 feet) tall, weighing hundreds of tons through the streets. These carts seat three statues of the deities, meant to be two brothers and their sister 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 the Sanskrit word जङ्गल jaṅgala, and later jangal in Hindi as जंगल and Urdu as جنگل. Jaṅgala means "uncultivated land" which refers to the wilderness or forest.
K
Khaki from ख़ाकी khākī "of dust colour, dusty, grey", cf. Hindi - Urdu خاکی [ultimately from Persian]. Karma from Sanskrit, the result of a person's actions as well as the actions themselves. It is a term about the cycle of cause and effect. Kedgeree from Hindi खिचड़ी, Kedgeree is thought to have originated with the Indian rice-and-bean or rice-and-lentil dish khichri, traced back to 1340 or earlier. Kismet
L Loot from Loot لوٹ लूट, meaning 'steal'. Robbery
M Multan from Multan, Pakistan: A kind of rug prevalent there.Merriam-Webster Unabridged - Multan Mogul from Hindi and Urdu: An acknowledged leader in a field, from the Mughal rulers of India like Akbar the Great, and Shah Jahan, the builder of the Taj Mahal. Maharaja from Hindi and Sanskrit: A great king. Mantra from Hindi and Sanskrit: a word or phrase used in meditation. Masala from Urdu, to refer to flavoured spices of Indian origin.
N Nirvana (in Jainism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Buddhism) a transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and the subject is released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth. It represents the final goal of Jainism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Buddhism.
P Pashmina from Hindi पश्मीना, Urdu پشمينه, ultimately from Persian پشمينه. Punch from Hindi and Urdu panch پانچ, meaning "five". The drink was originally made with five ingredients: alcohol, sugar, lemon, water, and tea or spices.LoanwordsPunch at the Online Etymology Dictionary The original drink was named paantsch. Pundit from पण्डित Pandit, meaning a learned scholar or Priest. Pukka (UK slang: "genuine") from Pakkā पक्का, پکا, cooked, ripe, solid. Purdah from Hindi-Urdu , Pardah (ultimately from Persian) meaning 'the pre-election period'. Pyjamas from Hindi and Urdu, پاجامہ / पाजामा (), meaning "leg garment", coined from Persian پاى "foot, leg" and جامه "garment" .Dictionary Meaning: Pajama; TheFreeDictionary; Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Encyclopedia
R Raita from Hindi and Urdu रायता رائتہ rayta.Merriam-Webster Unabridged - Raita yogurt based dish, some add sliced/chopped/diced, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, pineapples, pomegranate or other salads to complement rice or roti meals. Roti from Hindi and Urdu रॊटी روٹی roti "bread"; akin to Prakrit रॊट्ट rotta "rice flour", Sanskrit रोटिका rotika "kind of bread".Merriam-Webster Unabridged - Roti
S Sepoy Sepoy is derived from the Persian word sepāhī (سپاہی) meaning "infantry soldier" and was designated as a rank in the Mughal Army. The title and rank were implemented by the East India Company and later the British Raj. The term continues to be used for noncommissioned ranks in the Indian, Pakistani and Nepalese militaries.
Shampoo Derived from Hindustani chāmpo (चाँपो [tʃãːpoː]) (verb imperative, meaning "rub!"), dating to 1762.
T Teapoy from charpoy ,چارپائی Teen payi (तीन पाय) in Hindi-Urdu, meaning "three legged" or "coffee table". Thug from Thagi ,ٹھگ Thag in Hindi-Urdu, meaning "thief or con man". Tickety-boo possibly from Hindi (ṭhīk hai, bābū), meaning "it's all right, sir". Toddy (also Hot toddy) from Tāṛī , juice of the palmyra palm. Typhoon from Urdu toofaan. A cyclonic storm.
V Veranda from Hindustani baramdaa برآمدہ / बरामदा, but ultimately from Portuguese.
Y Yaar A colloquial South Asian word, it has been defined as a noun to refer to a ‘familiar form of address: friend, mate’. It is originally a loanword from Persian یار (yār). The first known use of yaar in English was in 1963.
Z Zamindar
A landowner, especially one who leases his land to tenant farmers. Via Urdu from Persian zamīndār, from zamīn ‘land’ + -dār ‘holder’. See also Glossary of the British Raj Indian English Hobson-Jobson List of English words of Sanskrit origin Lists of English words of international origin
References
External links Category: Hindi derivations in Wiktionary Etymology of Selected Words of Indian Language Origin in Colonial and Postcolonial Literary Dialogues English to Hindi Dictionary