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bhangi

or bhun·gi

[ buhng-gee ]
/ ˈbʌŋ gi /
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noun, plural bhan·gis.Indian English.
Often Disparaging and Offensive. a member of one of the lowest castes of untouchables in India, traditionally relegated to work that included sweeping, handling dead bodies, or cleaning toilets.See Usage note at the current entry.
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Origin of bhangi

From Hindi bhaṅgī, literally, “user of bhang

usage note for bhangi

The use of bhangi to reference the caste status of a person or group is often offensive in and of itself. However, the word is always offensive when used as an insult or as a proxy term for slovenliness, contamination, or poverty. When used loosely to describe an undesirable, poor, or dirty state, bhangi is considered a slur.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
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