AvatarFrom Hindi अवतार, from
Sanskrit, descent of a deity from a heaven
Bandanna from
bandhna (बांधना) to tie.
Bangle from
bāngṛī बांगड़ी, a type of bracelet.
Blighty "Britain" (as a term of endearment among British troops stationed in Colonial
India): from Hindi-Urdu
vilāyatī (विलायती, ولايتى) "foreign", ultimately from Arabo-Persian ولايتى "provincial, regional".
Bungalowfrom बंगला
banglA and Urdu بنگلہ
banglA, literally, "(house) in the
Bengal style".
Cheetah from
cītā, चीता, meaning "variegated".
Chit from चिट्ठी
Chitthi, a letter or note.
Chutney from चटनी chatni, meaning "to crush"
Cot from
Khāt, खाट, a portable bed.
Chowkat from
Shokat, Urdu, a door frame.
Cummerbund from
kamarband , cf.
कमरबन्द - Urdu کمربند, meaning "waist binding" [ultimately from Persian کمربند]
Cushyprobably from
khushi, cf. Hindi
ख़ुशी - Urdu خوشی "easy, happy, soft" [ultimately from Persian]; but some sources prefer an origin from "cushion"
Dacoit from
Daku, meaning a member of a class of criminals who engage in organized robbery and murder. Hence also
dacoity(banditry)
Dekko (UK slang for 'a look') from देखो
Dekho, the
imperative 'look', (دیکھو देखो ) meaning look at or study something.
Dinghyfrom
Dinghi, small boat, wherry-boat
DungareeHeavy denim fabric, also referring to trousers made thereof, from Hindi डूंगरी (ḍūṅgrī, “coarse calico”), the name of a village.
Garam masalafrom Hindi and Urdu गरम मसाला گرم مصالح
garam masālā, literally "hot ( = spicy) mixture", from Persian
گرم garm 'warm, hot' and Arabic
مصالح maṣāliḥ 'benefits, requirements, ingredients'.
Gurufrom Hindi
guru "teacher, priest," from Sanskrit गुरुः
guruḥ "one to be honored, teacher," literally "heavy, weighty."
Gymkhana A term which originally referred to a place where sporting events take place and referred to any of various meets at which contests were held to test the skill of the competitors. In English-speaking countries, a gymkhana refers to a multi-game equestrian event performed to display the training and talents of horses and their rider [
-khānā from Pers.
khānāh خانه "house, dwelling"]
Jaconetmodification of Sanskrit
jagannaath, from
Jagannath (Puri), [India], where such cloth was first made.
JodhpursFull-length trousers, worn for horseback riding, that are close-fitting below the knee and have reinforced patches on the inside of the leg. Named after Jodhpur , where similar garments are worn by Indian men as part of everyday dress.
Juggernaut from
Jagannath (Sanskrit:
जगन्नाथ jagannātha), a form of
Vishnu particularly worshipped at the
Jagannath Temple, Puri,
Odisha where during Rath Yatra festival thousands of devotees pull temple carts some 14m (45 feet) tall, weighing hundreds of tons through the streets. These carts seat three images of the deity, meant to be brothers for a 'stroll' outside after the ritual worship session. They are fed by thousands and thousands of worshipers with holy food, as if the icons were living. Early European visitors witnessed these festivals and returned with—possibly apocryphal—reports of religious fanatics committing suicide by throwing themselves under the wheels of the carts. So the word became a metaphor for something immense and unstoppable because of institutional or physical inertia; or impending catastrophe that is foreseeable yet virtually unavoidable because of such inertia.
Jungle from जङल्
jangal, another word for wilderness or forest.
Khakifrom खकि
khākī "of dust colour, dusty, grey", cf. Hindi
ख़ाकी - Urdu خاکی [ultimately from Persian].
KarakulA hat shaped like a fez but made of real or imitation karakul and worn by Pakistani Muslims on occasion. It is called a "Karakulli topi" (Topi meaning cap).
Karmafrom Sanskrit, the result of a person's actions as well as the actions themselves. It is a term about the cycle of cause and effect.
Loot from
LooT लूट, meaning 'steal'. Robbery
Multanfrom Multan, Pakistan: A kind of rug prevalent there.
Mogulfrom Hindi and Urdu: An acknowledged leader in a field, from the Mughal rulers of India like Akbar and
Shah Jahan, the builder of the
Taj Mahal.
Maharajafrom Hindi and Sanskrit: A king.
Mantrafrom Hindi and Sanskrit: a word or phrase used in meditation.
Nirvana(in Buddhism) a transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and the subject is released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth. It represents the final goal of Buddhism.
Nehru jacketa kind of sleeveless jacket that worn buttoned up to neck - formal and often worn by the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru.
Pashminafrom Hindi पश्मीना, Urdu پشمينه, ultimately from Persian پشمينه.
Poorifrom Hindi
poori, from Sanskrit पुर (
pura) or "cake".
Punchfrom Hindi and Urdu
panch پانچ, meaning "five". The drink was originally made with five ingredients: alcohol,
sugar,
lemon, water, and
tea or
spices. The original drink was named
paantsch.
Pundit from पण्डित
Pandit, meaning a learned scholar or Priest.
Pukka (UK slang: "genuine") from
Pakkā पक्का,پکا cooked, ripe, solid.
Pyjamasfrom Hindi, पैजामा (paijaamaa), meaning "leg garment", coined from Persian پاى "foot, leg" and جامه "garment" .
Raitafrom Hindi and Urdu रायता ریتا
rayta. yogurt based dish, some add sliced/chopped/diced, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, pineapples, pomegranate or other salads to complement rice or roti meals.
Rotifrom Hindi and Urdu रॊटी روٹی
roti "bread"; akin to
Prakrit रॊट्ट
rotta "rice flour", Sanskrit रोटिका
rotika "kind of bread".
ShampooDerived from Hindustani
chāmpo (चाँपो [tʃãːpoː]) (verb imperative, meaning "rub!"), dating to 1762.
Thug from
Thagi ठग, meaning "thief or con man".
Toddy (also Hot toddy) from
Tārī ताड़ी, juice of the
palmyra palm.
Typhoonfrom Urdu طوفان
toofaan. A cyclonic storm.
Verandafrom
Hindi baramdaa बरामदा or another Indian language, but ultimately probably from Portuguese or Spanish.
YogaFrom Sanskrit term (योग) for ancient Hindu spiritual practices common in India that have become internationally popular.