Punjabi

American  

[puhn-jah-bee] / pʌnˈdʒɑ bi /

Or Panjabi

noun

plural

Punjabis

1. a native or inhabitant of the Punjab.

2. an Indic language of the Punjab.

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adjective

1. of or relating to the Punjab, its people, or their language.

Punjabi British  

/ pʌnˈdʒɑːbɪ /

noun

1. a member of the chief people of the Punjab

2. the state language of the Punjab, belonging to the Indic branch of the Indo-European family

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adjective

1. of or relating to the Punjab, its people, or their language

Usage

What does Punjabi mean? A Punjabi is a person who is from or lives in Punjab, a former UK province. Punjabi is also the language spoken by the people of Punjab. Punjab was a province of British India until 1947. In that year, the province was split between the Asian countries of India and Pakistan. The majority of the former Punjab is now located in Pakistan, as the eastern province of Punjab. The rest of the land makes up the northwestern Indian state of Punjab. According to the 2011 Indian Census, just over 33 million speakers of Punjabi lived in India. It was the 11th most popular language in the country at that time, with 2. 7 percent of the country speaking it. According to the CIA Factbook, Punjabis are the largest ethnic group in Pakistan, making up 44. 7 percent of the population, and the Punjabi language is spoken by 48 percent of the country.

Etymology

Origin of Punjabi

First recorded in 1780–90; Punjab + -ī a suffix indicating relationship or origin

Example Sentences

Three years ago, he did not know the Punjabi language or what happened during the India and Pakistan partition in 1947 after British rule ended.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

Dressed in a layered outfit, Multani’s right wrist glinted with a Kara — an iron bracelet, known as one of five articles of Sikh faith — decorated with Punjabi language script and proudly visible.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

Inspired by rap icon Tupac Shakur, turbaned Sidhu built his global following by fusing Punjabi songs with the aesthetic of American hip-hop.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

“I joined Bhangra classes with my trainer, Preet Chahal, and listened to Punjabi music to help me with my Punjabi language and identity,” Saqib said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

“He’s something of a genius. He has a Punjabi mother and a Bengali father, and because he learns French and English at school he already speaks four languages. I think he skipped two grades.”

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri