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

Bollywood has long mined regional music scenes for reinvention - Punjabi pop, Mumbai hip-hop, Tamil indie - but Reble arrived with a sound still unfamiliar to much of mainstream India.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

The Koh-i-Noor, meaning "Mountain of Light" in Persian, has been the subject of conquest and intrigue for centuries, passing through the hands of Mughal princes, Iranian warriors, Afghan rulers and Punjabi Maharajas.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

Multani also found a particular connection in Raf Sappera, a U.K.-based Punjabi rapper of Pakistani origin who straddles the same cultural junctions.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

In recent years, this generation’s relationship with Punjabi music was shaped more profoundly by Punjabi rapper and singer Sidhu Moose Wala.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

The Punjabi boy at the other end of the room stirred in his sleep and moaned something.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini