mehndi

[men-dee]

noun

1. the art or practice of painting elaborate patterns on the skin with henna.

2. a design or designs so made.

mehndi

/ ˈmendiː /

noun

1. (esp in India) the practice of painting designs on the hands, feet, etc using henna

Word History and Origins

Origin of mehndi¹

First recorded in 1995–2000; from Hindi, from Sanskrit mendhī “henna plant”

Word History and Origins

Origin of mehndi¹

C20: from Hindi

Example Sentences

The groom’s father, Bishop of Karachi the Right Rev. Frederick John, said Christian weddings were celebrated the same way as any other wedding in Pakistan, including the mehndi – when the bride receives henna on her hands and feet – and a dholki, when guests gather at a family member’s house to sing and dance.

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Musicians like Daler Mehndi also routinely toured the country.

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Devanshi Mehta, a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has attended a mock mehndi event at U.C.L.A. for the past two years.

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That feeling has hit me hard recently, as I have attended South Asian weddings for friends and family with my fiancée Liezel — celebrations filled with sparkling, sequined, brightly colored Desi outfits; arms with bangles and mehndi body art; and buffet tables with kebabs, naan, curries and gulab jamun for dessert.

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From when she made the short “Mehndi” that premiered at the 2018 Seattle International Film Festival or served as associate producer for the made-in-Seattle film “Thin Skin,” Sen has seen how it is that cinematic stories connect people in immersive ways.

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