purdah
Americannoun
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the seclusion of women from the sight of men or strangers, practiced by some Muslims and Hindus.
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a screen, curtain, or veil used for this purpose.
noun
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the custom in some Muslim and Hindu communities of keeping women in seclusion, with clothing that conceals them completely when they go out
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a screen in a Hindu house used to keep the women out of view
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a veil worn by Hindu women of high caste
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informal hiding or isolation
the Treasury is currently locked in pre-budget purdah
Etymology
Origin of purdah
1790–1800; < Hindi, Urdu pardah curtain < Persian
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 UK is about to have yet another general election and soon the internet and airwaves will be filled with talk of purdah, hustings and spin.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2019
That doesn’t mean they should enter a state of purdah, curtail all encounters with the opposite sex, strike friends bearing proscribed genitalia from their address book and only make single-sex social engagements.
From The Guardian ● Oct. 20, 2019
At the same time, Ellen came out of purdah, and began moving in Hyderabad's affluent social circles.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2019
The self-styled protector was in purdah and he resented it.
From New York Times ● Mar. 2, 2019
I had seen these women nearly every day of my life observing the code of purdah, where they cover themselves in public.
From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
