Bihar

American

[bih-hahr] / bɪˈhɑr /

Or Behar

noun

a state in NE India. 38,301 sq. mi. (99,200 sq. km). Patna.
a city in the central part of this state.

Bihar British

/ bɪˈhɑː /

noun

a state of NE India: consists of part of the Ganges plain; important for rice: lost the S to the new state of Jharkhand in 2000. Capital: Patna. Pop: 82 878 796 (2001). Area: 99 225 sq km (38 301 sq miles)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The family of the ship's captain, Ashish Kumar Singh, 38, from the eastern state of Bihar, is mourning his death.

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

But the exercise has been mired in controversy and faced legal challenges ever since it was first held in the state of Bihar last year.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

Young workers move from poorer states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to more prosperous but ageing regions like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, chasing opportunity where it exists.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Some Indian states also offer limited menstrual leave: Bihar and Odisha give two days per month to government employees, while Kerala provides it to university and industrial training institute staff.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

Below is a children’s game song called “Okaa Bokaa Teen Tarokaa” from Bihar, India.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023