Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.
| achar | a spicy pickle made primarily from mango, used in Indian cooking. |
| aal al | the Indian mulberry tree, aka noni. |
| arti aarti | a ceremony in which candles dipped in ghee are lighted and offered to various deities > ARTIS, AARTIS. |
| achkan | in India, a knee-length coat with a high collar. |
| aia ayah | an Indian nursemaid. |
| akhara | a gymnasium. |
| almirah | a wardrobe, chest of drawers. |
| aloo alu | a potato. |
| amadavat avadavat | the strawberry finch, a small Indian song bird, commonly caged and kept for fighting. |
| ambari ambary | a fibre-yielding plant of E. Indies, aka KENAF. |
| ankus ankush | a spiked elephant goad. |
| anna | a low-value copper coin. |
| argala | the adjutant stork of India. [Hindustani hargila]. |
| arna | the Indian water-buffalo. |
| bablah babul babool | a species of acacia from which gum arabic is obtained. |
| baboo babu | a native clerk who writes English; also, a Hindu title answering to Mr. or Esquire. |
| bael bel bhel | a thorny Indian tree. |
| bajra bajri bajree | in the Indian subcontinent, pearl millet or a similar grain. |
| bagh | a garden. |
| bahu | a daughter-in-law, especially one who lives with her husband's family when married. |
| baloo balu | a bear. |
| balti | a spicy Indian dish. |
| bandana bandanna | a coloured silk or cotton handkerchief or headscarf with white or yellow spots. |
| bandar | a rhesus monkey. |
| bandh bundh | in India, a general strike. |
| bangle | a rigid ring as a bracelet or anklet. [Hind. bangli (orig.) a coloured glass bracelet.] |
| bania banian banyan | an Indian fig tree with vast spreading branches; a Hindu trader. |
| bapu | a spiritual father. |
| barasinga barasingha | the Indian swamp-deer. [Hindi 'twelve horn']. |
| barfi burfi | a dessert made from milk solids and sugar. |
| basmati | a type of long grain rice. |
| beedi bidi | a hand rolled cigarette > BEEDIES, BIDIS. |
| beegah bigha | a land measure in India. |
| begar | in India, forced labour. |
| bhai | brother; a form of address for a man. |
| bhajee bhagee bhaji | in Indian cookery, an appetizer consisting of vegetables cooked in batter. |
| bharal burrel burrell burhel burrhel | a Himalayan blue sheep. |
| bhelpuri | an Indian dish of puffed rice with onions. |
| bhindi | OKRA as used in Indian cookery. |
| bhishti | an Indian water-carrier > BHISHTIS. |
| bhoona bhuna | a dish sautéed in oil and a mix of spices. |
| bhoot bhut | a small whirlwind. |
| bindi bindhi | a dot worn on the forehead by women in India. |
| boxwallah | a pedlar; a businessman. |
| brahman brahmin | a member of the highest Hindu caste. |
| brahmani | a female BRAHMAN. |
| brinjarry | a travelling dealer in grain and salt in S. India. |
| budgero budgerow | a large and commodious, but generally cumbrous and sluggish boat, used for journeys on the Ganges > BUDGEROS. |
| bungalow | a lightly-built house, properly one with a veranda and one storey. |
| bunia bunnia | an (Indian) corn-merchant. |
| bustee | a flimsy hut, a squatter colony. [Hindi basti]. |
| champac champak champaca | an E. Indian tree of the magnolia family, sacred to Hindus. |
| chank | a kind of shell, sliced into bangles for Hindu women. |
| chapati chapatti chappati chupati chupatti | a thin flat piece of unleavened bread. |
| chappal | a type of open sandal worn in India. |
| charas churrus | the resinous exudation of hashish, a narcotic and intoxicant. |
| chatta | an umbrella. |
| chatti | an earthen pot, porous to keep water cool > CHATTIS or CHATTIES. |
| chela | a novice in Buddhism. |
| chetah cheetah | a hunting cat of Africa. |
| chik | a slatted blind. [Hindi ciq]. |
| chikara chinkara | an Indian gazelle |
| chikhor chikor chukar chukor | an Indian partridge. |
| chillum | the part of a hookah containing the bowl and tobacco-balls. [Hindi chilam]. |
| chital | the axis deer. |
| chokey choky | a prison.[Anglo-Ind, from Hindi cauki, caukidar]. |
| chokra | a boy; a household or regimental servant. |
| chokri | a girl; a female household or regimental servant. |
| choli | a short, close-fitting blouse worn under a sari. |
| chota | little, as in chota peg, a little drink. |
| chout | in India, an assessment equal to a fourth part of the revenue, extracted by the Mahrattas as blackmail. |
| chowk | a marketplace > CHOWKS. |
| chowri chowry | a whisk to keep off flies, used in the East Indies. |
| chukka chukkar chukker | a period of play in polo. [Hindi cokkar, a circular course]. |
| chupatty | a thin flat piece of unleavened bread > CHUPATTIES. |
| churidar | as in CHURIDAR pyjamas, long tight-fitting trousers worn by Indian men and women > CHURIDARS. |
| chutnee chutney | a warm or spicy condiment or pickle made in India, compounded of various vegetable substances, sweets, acids, etc. |
| coss koss kos | a measure of distance. |
| cotwal kotwal | the chief constable of an Indian town. |
| cowage cowhage cowitch | a leguminous climbing plant of the genus Mucuna, having crooked pods covered with sharp hairs, which stick to the fingers, causing intolerable itching. [Hindi kavach]. |
| crore | an Indian unit of counting: ten million. [Hindi karo]. |
| crorepati | In India, a person whose assets are worth at least one crore or a million rupees. |
| cummerbund | a waistband, a sash. [Hindi kamarband, a loinband]. |
| cushy | (coll.) easy, comfortable. [Hindi khush, pleasant]. |
| cutcha kacha kachcha kuchcha kutcha | made of dried mud, makeshift. |
| cutcherry kacheri kachahri cutchery | an Indian magistrate's office or courthouse. |
| daal dahl dal dhal dholl | an Indian name for a lentil. |
| dabba | in Indian cookery, a round metal box used to transport hot food > DABBAS. |
| dacoit dakoit | an Indian bandit. |
| dacoitage dakoiti dakoity | robbery by DACOITS, gang-robbers. |
| daftar | in India, an office, esp. a military orderly room; a bundle of documents. |
| dak dawk | in India, the mail or post; a letter. [Hindi dak, a relay of men]. |
| darga | a structure over a place where a holy person was buried or cremated. |
| darshan | a blessing conferred by touching or seeing a holy person. |
| darzi durzi | a tailor. |
| datura | a genus of solanaceous plants, with large funnel-shaped flowers and a four-celled, capsular fruit. [Hindi dhatura]. |
| decko dekko | (Sl.) a look; (verb) to take a look. [Hindi dekho look (imperative)]. |
| dhaba | (in India) a roadside cafe. |
| dhak | a leguminous tree of eastern India and Myanmar, with showy orange or red flowers. |
| dharmsala dharmshala | a building having a religious or charitable purpose, a free or cheap lodging for travellers. |
| dharna dhurna | a method of collecting a debt in which the person who is owed money sits on the debtor's doorstep until payment is made, or the debtor starves to death. |
| dhobi | a washerwoman. |
| dhol dholak | a large cylindrical drum used in Indian music. |
| dhooly dooly doolee doolie | a kind of litter suspended from men's shoulders, for carrying persons or things; a palanquin. |
| dhooti dhootie dhoti dhuti | a Hindu loincloth. |
| dhurrie durrie | a cotton rug made in India. |
| dingey dinghy dingy | Originally, a native rowing-boat in use upon Indian rivers. |
| dixie dixy | a military cooking-pot. |
| diya | a small oil lamp used in Hindu worship, esp at Diwali. |
| dobhash | an interpreter. [Hindi dobashi, do (two) + bhasha, language]. |
| doob | a perennial, creeping grass, aka dog's tooth, highly prized, in Hindostan, as food for cattle. |
| doolally | characterized by an unbalanced state of mind [spoken form of Deolali, India, where British soldiers who had completed their tour of duty were sent to await transportation home]. |
| dopatta dupatta | a silk or muslin shawl. |
| dopiaza | in India, meat or fish cooked in onion sauce > DOPIAZAS. |
| dosa | an Indian pancake made from rice flour > DOSAI or DOSAS. |
| dungaree | a heavy coarse durable twilled cotton, usually coloured. |
| ekka | a small one-horse carriage. |
| feni fenny | an alcoholic spirit produced in Goa from coconuts or cashew nuts. |
| ganja ganjah | a resinous form of marijuana. |
| garial gavial gharial | an Indian crocodile with a long snout. [Hindi ghariyal, crocodile]. |
| garjan gurjun | a thin balsam or wood oil derived from the Diptcrocarpus laevis, an East Indian tree. It is used in medicine, and as a substitute for linseed oil in the coarser kinds of paint. |
| gaur | a kind of wild ox, aka SELADANG |
| gayal gyal | an Indian domesticated ox. |
| gharri gharry | in India, a wheeled vehicle for hire. |
| ghat ghaut | (in India) a mountain pass; a landing stage; a place for cremation. |
| ghee ghi | clarified butter. |
| gherao | (in India) the surrounding or trapping of a person, e.g. an employer in a room or building, till demands are met; (verb) to carry out such an action. |
| ghubar gobar | as in ghubar numeral, any of a set of numerals forming the stage between ancient Hindu numerals and present-day Arabic numerals. |
| gingal jingal gingall jingall | a large Chinese or Indian swivel-musket. [Hindi janjal]. |
| gingeli gingelly gingelli gingili jinjili | the sesame seed or its oil. [Hindi jinjali]. |
| gobi | a cabbage or cauliflower. |
| golconda | a rich source of wealth (from the ruined city of Golconda near Hydebarad, once famous for diamond-cutting). |
| goonda | a hired thug, esp. one in the hire of a political party. |
| goor gur | an unrefined cane sugar. |
| gooroo guru | an Indian term of respect. |
| gosht | in Indian cookery, meat. |
| guar | a legume grown for forage and its seeds which yield guar gum. |
| gunny | a strong coarse jute fabric. [Hindi gani, sack]. |
| gurrah | a coarse Indian muslin. [Hindi garha, thick]. |
| gyan | knowledge. |
| halwa | a sweet Indian dish. |
| hanuman | a monkey with a bristly face. |
| hartal | in India, a general strike. |
| hing | asafoetida, a fetid gum resin. |
| jaconet | a kind of thin cotton fabric, especially with one side glazed. [Hindi Jagannath (now Puri) in India, its place of origin: cf. JUGGERNAUT.] |
| jaggary jaggery jagghery jagra | a coarse dark sugar. |
| jaghir jaghire jagir | in Pakistan, a village or district the government and revenues of which are assigned to some person, usually in consideration of some service to be rendered, esp. the maintenance of troops. |
| jaghirdar | the holder of a JAGHIR. |
| jai | victory (to). No —S. |
| jalfrezi | in Indian cookery, denoting a hot-flavoured dish of meat or vegetables stir-fried with green chillis and spices. No —S. |
| jawari jowar jowari | Indian millet, aka DURRA. |
| jodhpur | Usu. in pl.: long riding-breeches, wide around the hips but close-fitting from knee to ankle. [From JODHPUR in India]. |
| jugaad | a resourceful approach to problem-solving. |
| kachori | an Indian snack of pastry with a spicy filling. |
| kachumber | a salad of chopped onion, tomato, cucumber, and (sometimes) other vegetables. |
| kadai karahi | a wok-like copper utensil used in Asian cookery. |
| kamala kamela kamila | the red dusty hairs of the capsules of an East Indian tree used for dyeing silk. It is violently emetic, and is used in the treatment of tapeworm. |
| kans | an Indian grass related to sugar-cane. |
| karait krait | a venomous snake of India. |
| keddah kheda khedah | an enclosure used for the capture of wild elephants. |
| kedgeree | a dish of baked fish, boiled rice, and eggs. |
| keema | in Indian cookery, minced beef. |
| kellaut khilat khalat killut | a robe of honour. |
| khaddar khadi | homespun cotton cloth. |
| khansama khansamah | a house-steward or butler in India. |
| kharif | a crop sown before the monsoon to ripen in autumn. |
| khud | in India, a pit, hollow, ravine. |
| khurta kurta | a loose-fitting Indian tunic. |
| killadar | the commandant of a fort or garrison. |
| kirana | in India, a small, usually family-owned shop selling groceries and other sundries. |
| kisan | a kind of Indian peasant. |
| kofta | minced and seasoned meatballs. |
| korma | a mild curry |
| kukri | a broad curved Gurkha knife. |
| kumari | Miss (as a title of respect). |
| kumkum | a red powder used by Indian women. |
| kunkar kunkur | a concretionary limestone in India. [Hindi kankar, stone]. |
| lac | a dark red resin. |
| lakh | a unit of counting: one hundred thousand. |
| langur | a long-tailed Asian monkey. |
| lascar | an East Indian sailor. |
| lashkar | a body of armed Indian tribesmen. |
| lassi | a drink based on sour milk, popular in the East. |
| lathee lathi | in India, a heavy stick. |
| leep | to plaster with cow-dung.[Hindi lipna]. |
| lota lotah | in India, a small brass or copper pot. |
| lungee lungi lungyi | in India, a long cloth used as a loin cloth, turban etc. |
| machan | a raised platform, esp. in a tree, to watch for game. |
| mahant | a chief Hindu priest. |
| maharaja maharajah | a RAJA over other RAJAS. [Literally, 'great king']. |
| maharani maharanee | the wife of a MAHARAJA. [Literally, 'great queen']. |
| mahout | an Indian elephant driver. |
| mahseer mahsir | a large freshwater fish. [Hindi mahasir]. |
| mahua mowra mowa mahwa | a kind of butter-tree with edible flowers. |
| makhani | in Indian cookery, cooked in butter or cream. |
| mala | a string of beads or knots used in prayer. |
| mali | one of the gardener class in India. |
| mandi | a big market > MANDIS. |
| mandir mandira | a Hindu or Jain temple. |
| mazhbi | a Sikh of low caste. |
| mehndi | in India, the practice of painting designs on the hands, feet etc using henna > MEHNDIS. |
| mela | in the Indian subcontinent, a Hindu festival or fair. [Hindi, from Sanskrit mela, assembly]. |
| memsahib | an Indian honorific, lady sahib. |
| moong mung | as in moong bean or mung bean, a kind of bean. |
| moonshee munshi | a secretary, interpreter. |
| morcha | a hostile demonstration against the government. [Hindi 'entrenchment']. |
| muggar mugger muggur | a broad-snouted Indian crocodile. [Hindi magar]. |
| mulmul mulmull | a fine, soft muslin. |
| musth | a state of frenzied sexual excitement. [Hindi masth, intoxicated]. |
| myna mynah | an Asiatic bird. [Hindi maina]. |
| nabob | a European who has amassed a fortune in the East. |
| nabobess | a female NABOB, a European who has amassed a fortune in the East. |
| nach nautch | an entertainment in India consisting chiefly of dancing by professional dancing girls. |
| naik | the rank of corporal in the Indian army. |
| nainsook | a fine cotton fabric. [Hindi nainsukh]. |
| nala nalla nallah nulla nullah | a ravine, a watercourse. [Hindi nala]. |
| nan naan | a kind of Indian bread. |
| nautch nauch | an entertainment in India consisting chiefly of dancing by professional dancing girls. |
| neem neemb nim nimb | an East Indian tree. |
| nilgai nilghai nilgau nilghau nylghai nylghau | a kind of antelope. [Hindi 'blue cow']. |
| nizam | the title of the native sovereigns of Hyderabad, in India, since 1719. |
| nizamate | the office of a NIZAM. |
| notebandi | (Hindi) (in India) the withdrawal of certain banknotes from use as currency; demonetization. |
| nuzzer | a present to a superior. |
| omrah | a Muslim lord. [Hindi umra]. |
| oont | a camel. |
| paan pan | betel leaf. |
| pachak putchock putchuk | false ginger root. |
| pachisi parchesi parchisi parcheesi | a game, somewhat resembling backgammon, originating in India. |
| pagri puggaree pugaree puggree pugree puggery puggry | a turban, a light scarf worn round a hat to keep out the sun. |
| paisa | an Indian coin, 1/100 of a RUPEE > PAISE or PAISAS. |
| pakka pukka pucka | genuine; first-class. |
| pakora | an Indian dish of chopped vegetables fried in batter. |
| palas | a leguminous tree of eastern India and Myanmar, the DHAK tree. |
| palkee palki | a palanquin. |
| panchayat | five elders, council of five that is the basis for Indian village government. |
| paneer | a soft white cheese used in Indian cookery. |
| paratha | a flat round cake of unleavened bread, traditionally eaten as an accompaniment to Indian food. |
| pargana pergunnah | a division of an administrative district in ZILLAH in India. |
| parishad | an Indian assembly. |
| peepul pipul pipal | the bo tree. |
| petara pitara pitarah | in India, a travelling box for clothes. |
| phansigar | in the Indian subcontinent: a professional robber and assassin of travellers and others; a Thug. |
| phut | a sound like a bullet; (verb) to make this sound. [Hindi phatna, to split]. |
| pice | an Indian coin, 1/4 anna. No —S. [Hindi paisa]. |
| pindaree pindari | a mercenary freebooter troublesome in India. |
| poogye poogyee | the nose flute of the Hindus. [HIndi pugi]. |
| poori puri | in India, a small round cake fried in vegetable oil. |
| pracharak | in India, a person appointed to propagate a cause through personal contacts, meetings etc. |
| pradhan | (in India) a chief or leader. |
| pujari | a priest. |
| pultan pulton pultoon pultun | an Indian infantry regiment. |
| pulwar | a light keelless boat used on the Ganges. |
| punka punkah | a large palm-leaf fan suspended from the ceiling used esp. in India. |
| puteli | a flat-bottomed boat used on the Ganges. |
| puttee puttie | a long strip of cloth wound round lower leg, especially as part of army uniform. |
| qorma | an Indian dish, a mild curry. Also KORMA. |
| ragee ragi raggee raggy | a kind of millet. |
| raita | an Indian dish of chopped vegetables in yogurt. [Hindi rayta.] |
| raiyat ryot | an Indian peasant. |
| raiyatwari ryotwari | a system of peasantry in India. |
| raj | sovereignty, rule |
| raja rajah | an Indian ruler. |
| rajpramukh | the head of a state or states union in the Democratic Republic of India. |
| rana | a Rajput prince. |
| ranee rani | an Indian queen. |
| rangoli | a traditional Hindu form of decoration on floors and doorsteps, forming patterns of coloured sand and riceflour. |
| rasmalai | an Indian dessert made of cheese, milk and almonds > RASMALAIS. [Hindi ras, juice, + malai, skin formed on a hot liquid when it cools]. |
| rath | a four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage or chariot. |
| ratha | a four-wheeled carriage drawn by horses or bullocks. |
| regar regur | the rich black soil of the Indian subcontinent |
| reh | an efflorescence of salts on soil in India. |
| roosa rusa | a kind of East Indian grass from which an aromatic oil is distilled. |
| roti | a cake of unleavened bread. |
| rupee | an Indian currency unit. |
| rupiah | the standard unit of currency of Indonesia. |
| saag | in Indian cookery, spinach. |
| sadhana | one of a number of spiritual practices or disciplines which lead to perfection, these being contemplation, asceticism, worship of a god, and correct living. |
| sahib saheb | an Englishman or other European as addressed or spoken of by Indians. |
| sahiba sahibah | a lady SAHIB. |
| sal | a large tree of N. India. |
| sambar sambhar sambhur sambur | a large deer. |
| samiti samithi | in India, an organisation or committee of workers. |
| samosa | a small, fried pastry turnover stuffed with spiced vegetables. |
| sangeet | a kind of pre-wedding party in a Hindi or Sikh marriage. |
| sangh | an association promoting unity between different groups in Hindusim. |
| sannyasi sannyasin sanyasi | a Hindu ascetic or hermit who lives by begging. |
| sant | in Sikhism, a devout person, a saint. |
| sarangi | an Indian stringed insrument, played like a fiddle. |
| saree sari | the principal garment of a Hindoo woman, a long piece of cloth, which is wrapped round the middle of the body, a portion being arranged to hang down in front, and the remainder passed across the bosom over the left shoulder. |
| sarod sarode | an Indian instrument like a cello. |
| sarpanch | an elected head of a village council in India. [Hindi sar, head + panca, five]. |
| sarus | a large red-headed crane found from India to the Philippines. |
| satara | ribbed lustred wool. |
| sena | in India, an army, esp. used of paramilitary organisations representing various castes. |
| ser | a unit of weight in India. |
| sev | an Indian food of deep-fried strands of flour. |
| shama | an Indian millet-like cereal; an Indian song-bird. |
| shamiana shamianah shamiyanah | in India, a large tent, awning or canopy. |
| shampoo | to wash the hair with a special preparation. [Hindi capna to squeeze]. |
| sherwani | in India, a man's knee-length coat buttoning up to the chin. |
| shikara | a light flat-bottomed boat used in Kashmir. |
| shikra | a small sparrowhawk. |
| sissoo | a papilionaceous Indian timber tree or its wood. [Hindi sisu]. |
| sola solah | a spongewood. |
| soucar sowkar | a Hindu banker. |
| suba subah | a province in India. |
| subadar subahdar subedar | a viceroy; provincial governor; sepoy company commander. |
| sunn | an E. Indian plant with tough fibre used in cordage. |
| surat | a coarse uncoloured cotton (from Surat, in India). |
| swacch | clean. |
| swami swamy | a Hindu mystic. |
| tabasheer tabashir | a siliceous substance sometimes found in crude form in hollows of bamboos, used in Eastern medicine. |
| tabla | an Indian percussion instrument, a pair of small drums. |
| tahsil tehsil | in India, a division of a district for revenue and certain other purposes. |
| tahsildar tehsildar | one who administers a TASIL or TEHSIL. |
| talooka taluk taluka | a large estate; esp. one constituting a revenue district or dependency the native proprietor of which is responsible for the collection and payment of the public revenue due from it. [Hindi ta'alluq, estate]. |
| talukdar | a proprietor of a TALUK, a large estate. |
| tana tanah tanna tannah thana thannah thanah | a police station. |
| tanadar thanadar | an officer in charge of a TANA, a police station. |
| tandoor tandoori | a type of Indian cooking in which meat, vegetables etc. are baked over charcoal in a clay oven. |
| tangun | a piebald variety of the horse, native of Tibet. |
| tasar tussor tussore tussar tusseh tusser tussah tussur | a fawn-coloured silk made from wild Indian silkworms. |
| tassa | a large Indian kettledrum worn hanging round the neck. |
| tava tavah tawa | a griddle in Indian cookery. |
| teapoy tepoy | an ornamental stand, usually with three legs, having caddies for holding tea. |
| terai | a wide-brimmed ventilated hat. [From the Tarai, India]. |
| thagi thuggee | murder and robbery by thugs. |
| thali | a meal consisting of several small meat or vegetable dishes accompanied by rice, bread, etc., and sometimes by a starter or a sweet > THALIS. |
| thug | a violent ruffian. |
| ticca | hired. |
| tika tilak | a red mark on the forehead of Hindu women. |
| tikka | denoting a dish of meat or vegetables marinated in yoghurt and spices. |
| til | the sesame plant (source of food and oil). |
| toddy | the fermented sap of various palm trees. [Hindi tari]. |
| tola | an Indian unit of weight. [Hindi from Skr. tula, weight]. |
| tonga | a light two-wheeled Indian vehicle. [Hindi tanga]. |
| toon | an Indian tree of the mahogany family. [Hindi tun]. |
| topee topi | a tropical pith helmet. |
| toran torana | in the Indian subcontinent, a sacred Buddhist gateway, consisting of a pair of uprights with one or more (usu. three) crosspieces and elaborate carving. |
| tulsi | a kind of basil, sacred in Indian belief. |
| tulwar | an Indian sabre. |
| urd | a kind of Indian bean. |
| vakeel vakil | an Indian agent. |
| vanda | a tropical orchid. (Hindi vanda, mistletoe). |
| veranda verandah viranda virando | a roofed gallery, terrace, or open portico along the front or side of a building. |
| walla wallah | a person who is associated with a particular work or who performs a particular duty or service - usually used in combination. |
| yojan yojana | in the Indian subcontinent: a measure of distance. |
| zamindar zemindar | in India, a type of landowner. |
| zamindari zamindari zemindari zemindary | the jurisdiction of a ZAMINDAR. |
| zila zillah zilla | an administrative district in India. |
| zindabad | long live, used in slogans. |