Hindi
Americannoun
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the most widely spoken of the modern Indic vernaculars, especially its best-known variety, Western Hindi.
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a literary language derived from Hindustani, used by Hindus.
noun
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a language or group of dialects of N central India. It belongs to the Indic branch of the Indo-European family and is closely related to Urdu See also Hindustani
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a formal literary dialect of this language, the official language of India, usually written in Nagari script
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a person whose native language is Hindi
Etymology
Origin of Hindi
First recorded in 1790–1800; from Hindi, Urdu, equivalent to Persian Hind, Hindu (compare Sanskrit Sindhu “river,” specifically the Indus river, with the extended sense “region of the Indus; Sind”) + -ī a suffix indicating relationship or origin; replacing Hinduee, from Persian Hinduī; see also Sind
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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.
Recordings, paintings, manuscripts and more reveal how songs in Persian, Urdu, Classical Hindi and Punjabi spread throughout the Mughal Empire and across the network of the East India Company from the 16th century onward.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
She loved the fusion artists like Jay Sean blending R&B, Punjabi, Hindi and English into something that felt exactly like her life.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
"I have sent my resignation letter to the prime minister," Pradhan said in his letter in Hindi.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
Meanwhile, the long-time residents of Ayodhya told BBC Hindi that they were shocked by the allegations of corruption at the temple.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
The city was bursting with sounds; the shouts of vendors rang in my ears mingled with the blare of Hindi music, the sputtering of rickshaws, and the jingling bells of horse-drawn carts.
From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini
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