Hindustani

American  

[hin-doo-stah-nee, -stan-ee] / ˌhɪn dʊˈstɑ ni, -ˈstæn i /

Also Hindostani or Hindoostani

noun

1. a standard language and lingua franca of northern India based on a dialect of Western Hindi spoken around Delhi. Compare Hindi, Urdu.

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adjective

1. of or relating to Hindustan, its people, or their languages.

Hindustani British  

/ ˌhɪndəʊˈstɑːnɪ, ˌhɪndʊˈstɑːnɪ /

noun

1. the dialect of Hindi spoken in Delhi: used as a lingua franca throughout India

2. a group of languages or dialects consisting of all spoken forms of Hindi and Urdu considered together

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adjective

1. of or relating to these languages or Hindustan

Etymology

Origin of Hindustani

First recorded in 1780–90; Hindustan ( def. ) + -ī a suffix indicating relationship or origin

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Hindustani

When he returned full time to classical Hindustani music, working with various soloists, he eventually hooked up with Shankar, with whom he then worked almost exclusively.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2025

Silver based the opera’s themes on ragas, sets of musical notes that form the scaffolding around which Hindustani musicians create rhythms and melodies, often intertwined with vocals.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 23, 2023

From new genres like gully or street rap to the Hindustani techno, indie music is handmade, effortlessly cool and is genuinely ground-breaking.

From BBC ● Dec. 26, 2022

Narayanaswamy’s recorded score picked up on the Iberian theme, translating the Hindustani form tarana to classical guitar.

From New York Times ● May 16, 2022

Here they became aware of a number of men moving in their direction, who called out in excellent English and Hindustani that they were British cavalry and Indians.

From The First Seven Divisions Being a Detailed Account of the Fighting from Mons to Ypres by Ernest W. Hamilton