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

Seventy-five Hindu couples from across the country get married at a mass wedding ceremony in Pakistan’s city of Karachi, organised by the Pakistan Hindu Council, which helps couples from low-income families.

From Barron's

Christmas has been a public holiday in India since independence, along with Hindu, Muslim and Sikh holidays.

From The Wall Street Journal

Diwali typically occurs in late October or early November and is celebrated by members of the Hindu, Sikh and Jain faiths.

From Los Angeles Times

Bangladesh also has a small Shia community, while around 10 percent of Bangladeshis are not Muslims -- mainly Hindus, as well smaller groups of Christians.

From Barron's

She became the city's first female Hindu councillor in October 1996, after winning a by-election triggered by her husband Paul's death earlier that year.

From BBC