Synonyms

dewan

American

[dih-wahn, -wawn] / dɪˈwɑn, -ˈwɔn /

Or diwan

noun

any of certain officials in India, such as a financial minister or prime minister of an Indian state.

dewan British

/ dɪˈwɑːn /

noun

(formerly in India) the chief minister or finance minister of a state ruled by an Indian prince

"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 dewan

First recorded in 1680–90; from Hindi: “minister (of state)” from Persian dēvan “register”; see divan ¹

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.

See Examples For:

dewan

Ironically, it is the dewan sent in from India who leads the battle against "evil outside influences."

From Time Magazine Archive

Nehru sent in troops and a dewan, or political officer.

From Time Magazine Archive

In came Indian troops, and a dewan or Prime Minister furnished by India.

From Time Magazine Archive

So the dewan presented himself before the Raja with the dumb shepherd and found a large company assembled to see what happened.

From Folklore of the Santal Parganas by Cecil Henry Bompas

He put all this very affably; raised his two fat hands toward heaven declaring that he was helpless in the matter—Baptiste was the commander, and he was but a dewan.

From Caste by William Alexander Fraser

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