India
proper nouncommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈɪndiːə//
- United States//ˈɪndi.ə//
A country in South Asia. Official name: Republic of India. Capital: New Delhi.
proper noun
- 1
A country in South Asia. Official name: Republic of India. Capital: New Delhi.
The demolition of two mosques in India within days of each other has highlighted the deep religious divide in the country, months before voters head to the polls for a nationwide election that is expected to hand Prime Minister Narendra Modi a rare third term in power.
- 2
historicalA region of South Asia, traditionally delimited by the Himalayas and the Indus river; the Indian subcontinent.
- 3
historicalA territory of the British Empire, chiefly comprising the modern day countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Burma.
- 4
A female given name.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-Iranian *síndʰuš Proto-Indo-Iranian *síndʰuš Sanskrit सिन्धु॑ (síndhu)bor. Old Persian 𐏃𐎡𐎯𐎢𐏁 (hiⁿdūš)bor. Ancient Greek Ἰνδός (Indós) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek Ἰνδία (Indía)bor. Latin Indiabor. Old English Indea English India Inherited from Old English India, Indea, from Latin India, from Ancient Greek Ἰνδία (Indía), from Ancient Greek Ἰνδός (Indós, “Indus river”), from Old Persian 𐏃𐎡𐎯𐎢𐏁 (hiⁿdūš), from Sanskrit सिन्धु (sindhu), ultimately from Proto-Indo-Iranian *síndʰuš (“river”). Compare Middle English Inde and Ynde from Old French Ynde (original form started to prevail in the 16th century), Classical Persian هند (hind, “India”), Sanskrit सिन्धु (síndhu, “a river, stream”). Doublet of Indus, Sindhu, Hindu, and Sindh.
Forms
- plural
- Indias
India · A country in South Asia. Official name: Republic of India. Capital: New Delhi.
Indian · Of or relating to India or its people; or (formerly) of the…Indiana · A placename. A state of the United States. Capital:…indicate · To point out; to discover; to direct to a knowledge of; to…