desi

British

/ ˈdeɪsiː /

adjective

indigenous or local

a desi buda
authentic

desi music

"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

Etymology

Origin of desi

C21: Hindi, from Sanskrit deśa a country

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.

This domestic sitcom, starring Lucille Ball as a frustrated housewife and Ball’s then-husband Desi Arnaz as her patient bandleader husband, is the most influential show in TV history, and it isn’t close.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

Desi was built to discover more about dark energy.

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2025

Diplomatic relations between the countries were severely strained under the military regime of former dictator Desi Bouterse from 1982, then again when he returned to power as elected president from 2010 to 2020.

From Barron's • Dec. 1, 2025

One can draw their own conclusions based on that clip, as Desi Lydic does on Tuesday’s episode of “The Daily Show.”

From Salon • Sep. 19, 2025

“To change lives with my films and show the world what a Desi girl can do,” I said proudly.

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon

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