purdah
or pur·da, par·dah
the seclusion of women from the sight of men or strangers, practiced by some Muslims and Hindus.
a screen, curtain, or veil used for this purpose.
Origin of purdah
1Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use purdah in a sentence
Another story says that the Kammas and Velamas were originally one caste, and had adopted the Muhammadan system of gosha or purda.
On drawing aside the purda, I beheld the whole establishment seated in full conclave on their haunches round the door.
The women do not appear at the feast but stay inside, sitting in the angan or inner court, which is behind the purda.
British Dictionary definitions for purdah
purda
/ (ˈpɜːdə) /
the custom in some Muslim and Hindu communities of keeping women in seclusion, with clothing that conceals them completely when they go out
a screen in a Hindu house used to keep the women out of view
a veil worn by Hindu women of high caste
informal hiding or isolation: the Treasury is currently locked in pre-budget purdah
Origin of purdah
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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