Hindu

American  

[hin-doo] / ˈhɪn du /

Or Hindoo

noun

1. a person, especially of northern India, who adheres to Hinduism.

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adjective

1. of or relating to Hindus or Hinduism.

Hindu British  

/ hɪnˈduː, ˈhɪnduː /

noun

1. a person who adheres to Hinduism

2. an inhabitant or native of Hindustan or India, esp one adhering to Hinduism

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adjective

1. relating to Hinduism, Hindus, or India

Other Word Forms

• anti-Hindu adjective
• non-Hindu noun
• pro-Hindu adjective
• pseudo-Hindu adjective

Etymology

Origin of Hindu

1655–65; < Persian Hindū Indian (adj., noun), equivalent to Hind ( Hindi ) + -ū adj. suffix

Compare meaning

How does hindu compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Hindi vs. Hindu

Example Sentences

In District 4, incumbent Nick Melvoin is facing off against Ankur Patel, director of outreach at the Hindu University of America.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2026

In the background, the Indian independence movement gathered pace, as did the rift between the country’s Hindu and Muslim populations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

In neighbouring India, posts calling to restore Nepal's deposed Hindu monarchy have made the rounds on social media, said researcher Nilafdeen.

From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026

"My Nani, my grandmother, is Sikh, grandfather's Hindu," Lindblad says.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

“As a Hindu, I’m a polytheist, as you well know.”

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon