Indian
UK: ˈɪn.di.ən | US: ˈɪn.di.ən
n. 1. A person from India or of Indian descent.
n. 2. (Historical, dated) A term formerly used by Europeans to refer to Indigenous peoples of the Americas.
adj. Relating to India, its people, or culture.
indian = india<land of the Indus River> + an<relating to>
- india: Derived from the Latin India, referring to the region around the Indus River (from Greek Indos, ultimately from Old Persian Hinduš, the name for the Indus River).
- an: A suffix forming adjectives meaning "relating to" or "belonging to" (from Latin -anus).
Etymology Origin:
The word Indian traces back to the ancient Greek and Latin terms for the Indus River (Indos/India), a major geographical landmark in South Asia. European explorers later misapplied the term to Indigenous peoples of the Americas due to Columbus's mistaken belief that he had reached India. Over time, Indian evolved to specifically denote people or things from India, while the term Native American or Indigenous is now preferred for the original inhabitants of the Americas.
She enjoys cooking Indian food, especially curry and naan.
The museum exhibits artifacts from both Indian and Native American cultures.
He is of Indian descent but was born in Canada.
Early European settlers often traded with the local Indian tribes.
The Indian economy has grown significantly in recent decades.