Punjab

American  

[puhn-jahb, puhn-jahb] / pʌnˈdʒɑb, ˈpʌn dʒɑb /

noun

1. a former province in NW British India: now divided between India and Pakistan.

2. a state in NW India. 47,456 sq. mi. (122,911 sq. km). Chandigarh.

3. a province in NE Pakistan. 19,445 sq. mi. (50,362 sq. km). Lahore.

---

Punjab British  

/ pʌnˈdʒɑːb, ˈpʌndʒɑːb /

noun

1. (formerly) a province in NW British India: divided between India and Pakistan in 1947

2. a state of NW India: reorganized in 1966 as a Punjabi-speaking state, a large part forming the new state of Haryana; mainly agricultural. Capital: Chandigarh. Pop: 24 289 296 (2001). Area: 50 255 sq km (19 403 sq miles)

3. a province of W Pakistan: created in 1947. Capital: Lahore. Pop: 82 710 000 (2003 est). Area: 205 344 sq km (127 595 sq miles)

---

Etymology

Origin of Punjab

First recorded in 1830–35; from Hindi, Urdu Panjāb, from Persian panj âb, literally “(land of) five waters, five rivers” (the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas, tributaries of the Indus)

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Punjab

He was arrested in the Punjab region just weeks after his wedding in the country.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Joginder Singh, a 45-year-old businessman volunteering at the camp, said supporters from Mumbai, Chennai and Punjab had been placing delivery orders directly to the protest site.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

In his home village in Punjab, Bishnoi is admired rather than reviled for many of the crimes attributed to him.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

The film was later retitled Punjab '95 - a reference to the year Khalra disappeared.

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

Now he lived with a cranky man who was originally from Punjab.

From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---