Urdu
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What does Urdu mean? Urdu is the official language of Pakistan. It is derived from the older Hindustani language, and the written form uses Persian-Arabic letters. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a south Asian country with Afghanistan to its north and India to its south. Urdu is a member of the Indic family of languages, which includes other languages spoken by culture groups in Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka. Urdu is recognized by Pakistan as the official language and it is the fifth most common language spoken in the country.
Etymology
Origin of Urdu
< Urdu, Hindi urdū, extracted from Persian zabān i urdū literally, language of the camp (ultimately < Turkic; see horde)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It also means, in Urdu, your loyalty or your allegiance.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
Almost every resident carries a private atlas of vanished places: Regal Cinema, the old Coffee House, Urdu bookshops in Daryaganj, winter evenings at India Gate before barricades and security cordons reshaped the city.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
With the conversation having now switched to Urdu, she appeared much more enthusiastic about helping our reporter stay in the country, discussing how he could apply for asylum on the grounds that he's gay.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
"Bengalis who live in Karachi mostly speak Urdu," he said, adding: "We don't have our own culture now".
From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026
How am I supposed to get better at Urdu if no one lets me practice?
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
