Hindi

[hin-dee]

noun

1. the most widely spoken of the modern Indic vernaculars, especially its best-known variety, Western Hindi.

2. a literary language derived from Hindustani, used by Hindus.

Hindi

/ ˈhɪndɪ /

noun

1. 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

2. a formal literary dialect of this language, the official language of India, usually written in Nagari script

3. a person whose native language is Hindi

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hindi¹

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; Sind

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hindi¹

C18: from Hindi hindī, from Hind India, from Old Persian Hindu the river Indus

Example Sentences

He added he could see the words "Bhartiya Nausena" written on the side of the buses, the Hindi term referring to the Indian Navy.

From BBC

Almost seamlessly, the song blends into its second track, “Rebecca,” which features the enticing Hindi vocals of Deevani from Tito El Bamino’s Flow Natural ft.

From Los Angeles Times

Initial experiments are underway in English and Hindi.

From BBC

The Maharashtra government's decision met fierce opposition from civil society groups, language activists and opposition leaders who accused it of trying to impose Hindi - predominantly spoken in northern and central Indian states - in the state.

From BBC

A police official told BBC Hindi that more arrests are expected as the investigation continues.

From BBC