Indian words in English, popularly known as Anglo-Indian words, form a major category among the foreign words in English Language. Most of the Indian words in English crept into the English language during the British rule of India. These Indian words reflect the cultural diversity of India and are from different languages. Indian words in English are mostly derived from Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Bengali, and Malayalam.
Most of the Indian words in English have an etymological connection to Sanskrit. But it has to be noted that very few of the English words of Sanskrit origin have entered the English language directly. Most of them came into English from their transformed versions in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali or Marathi. English words of Hindi origin form the major category of Indian words in English even though most of them are derived from Sanskrit. Most of the English words relating to South Indian life and culture came into the English language from Tamil and Malayalam. Many of them were first adopted into Portuguese and French. From these languages they gradually entered the English language.
The following is an extensive list of Indian words in English. Search by word or language to find the meaning and etymology of Indian words in English.
| Word | Origin / Etymology | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Adda | from Bengali adda, a group of people | a place where people of same interests gather for conversation. |
| Ahimsa | from Sanskrit ahimsa, which means "not-harmful". | |
| alvar | from Tamil alvarr. | sink, be absorbed (as in contemplation) |
| Ambarella | from Sanskrit: ambarella, a kind of tree. Entered English through Sinhalese | |
| Amrita | from Sanskrit amrutam, nectar of everlasting life. | |
| anaconda | possibly from Tamil yaanai kondra, "that which killed an elephant".The word may have entered English through Sinhalese henakandaya, "whipsnake". | |
| anicut | from Tamil anaikattu, ("anai"=dam, "kattu"=building/structure) | |
| Aniline | from Sanskrit nili. Entered English through German: Anilin, French: Aniline and Portuguese: Anil from Arabic al-nili and Persian nila, | |
| Apadravya | from Sanskrit apadravya which refers to a male genital piercing where a barbell passes through the penis. Mentioned in Indian literature in theKama Sutra | |
| ape | from the Tamil word for a monkey, kapi, i.e., swift, nimble, active. It was first transformed to api and later to 'ape' | |
| arhat | from Sanskrit arhat which means "deserving". | |
| Aryan | from Sanskrit Arya-s "noble, honorable". Entered English through Latin Ariana, from Greek Areia. | |
| Asana | from Sanskrit asana which means "seat", a term describing yoga postures. | |
| Ashram | from Sanskrit asrama, a religious hermitage. | |
| Atman | from Sanskrit atman meaning "essence". | |
| Atoll | from Sanskrit antala. Probably entered English through Maldivean: | |
| Aubergine | from Sanskrit vatigagama, meaning aubergine or eggplant in American English. Probably entered English through Catalan alberginera, via Arabic ( al-badinjan) and Persian ( badin-gan) ultimately | |
| Avatar | from Tamil "avataram" and Sanskrit avatara, which means "descent". Refers to the human incarnation of God . Thus, Krishna and Rama were two of the ten avatars of Vishnu. | |
| Ayurveda | from Sanskrit ayurveda, which means "knowledge of life". | |
| baboo | from Hindi babu, meaning "father" | |
| Bahasa | fromSanskrit bhasa, meaning "language". | |
| Bahuvrihi | from Sanskrit bahuvrihih, a composite word, meaning 'much rice.' | |
| Bandanna | from Hindi Bandhna,() which means to 'tie-dye,' a mode of dyeing in which the cloth is tied in different places, to prevent the parts tied from receiving the dye. | A bright yellow or red silk handkerchief with diamond shaped spots left white while dyeing. |
| bandy | from the Tamil word 'vandy' which means 'vehicle'. | ox-cart |
| Bangle | from Hindi Bangri , a ring of coloured glass worn on the wrist by women. | |
| Banyan | from Hindi baniyaa and Sanskrit vanij, which means "a merchant". | |
| Basmati | from Hindi ultimately from Sanskrit vasa, meaning 'fragrant' | |
| Batik | A textile dyeing technique in which areas not to be dyed are coated with wax producing an irregular, mottled motif or pattern. | |
| Bazaar | from Hindi and Persian, a permanent market or street of shops. | |
| Bazaar | Indian and Middle Eastern term for a marketplace or a group of shops; in the West it refers to a charity sale of trinkets and other items. | |
| begum | From Urdu begam which comes from Eastern Turkish bigim meaning "princess" | |
| Beryl | from Sanskrit vaidurya, and Prakrit (veluriya). Actually of Dravidian origin, maybe from the name of Belur. Probably entered English through Old French beryl, via Latin beryllus, Greek | |
| betel | from Malayalam vettila and Tamil vettrilai where "vettru"=plant name and "ilai"=leaf. | |
| Bhakti | from Sanskrit bhakti, which means "loyalty". | |
| Bhang | from Hindi bhang, which is from Sanskrit bhanga "hemp". | |
| Bidi | from Hindi bidi which comes from Sanskrit vitika. | |
| birka | from Hindi burqa which came from persian / Arabic | |
| biryani | from Hindi biryani which camefrom Persian biryan meaning "fried, roasted" | |
| Blighty | from Hindi and Urdu vilayati "foreign", ultimately from Arabo-Persian "provincial, regional". | Home' indicating Britain (as a term of endearment among British troops stationed in Colonial India): |
| bo (tree) | from Sanskrit bodhi- "perfect knowledge". Entered English through Sinhalese Buddhist usage. | |
| Bodhisattva | from Sanskit bodhi; "perfect knowledge" + sattva; "being" | |
| Bottle | from Urdu Botul, rigid container. | |
| Brahmin | from Sanskrit brahmana, from brahman. | |
| Brinjal | from Persian badingan, probably from Sanskrit bhantaki. | |
| Buddha | from Sanskrit buddha, which means "awakened, enlightened", refers to Siddhartha Gautama, founder of Buddhism. Also refers to one who is enlightened. | |
| Bungalow | from Hindi bangla & Urdu bangla, literally, "(house) in the Bengal style". Derived from the Bengali word for hut,bangala. | A small house of only one storey, usually surrounded by a large verandah. |
| Calico | from the place name Calicut, India. The fine cotton stuffs of Malabar was originally mentioned by Marco Polo in the 14th century. | |
| candy | from Sanskrit. khanda "piece (of sugar)," and Tamil kantu, kattu, or katta "to harden, condense". The word was gradually transformed to Persian qand "cane sugar," Arabic qandi, and Old French cucre candi "sugar candy". | crystalized sugar |
| carambola | from Marathi karanbal. | |
| cash | Possibly from Malayalam or Tamil kasu | |
| catamaran | from Tamil kattumaram ("kattu"=tie up, "maram"=tree/wood) | |
| chakra | from Sanskrit chakra; "wheel". | |
| Charpoy | A lightweight cot or bed, common throughout India. Usually a simple structure, it can sometimes be an elaborate creation, carved and painted. | |
| Cheetah | from Hindi cita, , meaning "variegated" and Sanskrit chitraka, or chitrakaya, 'having a speckled body.' Also from Tamil 'chiruthai'. | |
| cheroot | from Tamil suruttu, meaning 'rolled' which was transformed to French cheroute. | |
| Chili | The pod of the red pepper (capsicum). The plant came to India from South America. | |
| Chint or Chintz | The overall-patterned, often flower-covered, block-printed cotton fabric that has become synonymous with English-style decorating. Originally from the Sanksrit chitra, means variegated or speckled. | |
| chintz | from Hindi chint which comes from Sanskrit citra "many-colored". | The overall-patterned, often flower-covered, block-printed cotton fabric that has become synonymous with English-style decorating. |
| Chit | from Hindi Chitthi, a letter or note. The Tamil people use shit for a ticket, or for a playing-card. | |
| Chuddar | from Sanskrit chatram which means screen, parasol etc. Entered English through Urdu chaddar (cloth). | |
| Chukar | from Sanskrit chakorah. Came to English via Hindi chakor and Urdu chukar. | |
| Chukker | from Sanskrit chakra, and Hindi chakkar, "a circle, a wheel". | |
| Chutney | from Hindi chatni, meaning "to crush" | A spicy relish often made from mangoes, chili peppers, or tomatoes. The word is derived from the Hindi catni. |
| Citipati | from Sanskrit chiti-pati, which means "a funeral pyre lord". | A kind of Dinosaur |
| coir | probably from Malayalam kayar, Tamil '' "kayiru" for rope or thread or to be twisted. | |
| congee | from Tamil kanji | |
| coolie | Possibly from cooli a Tamil word for "labour". Alternatively, it could refer to a tribe from Gujarat, whose members were frequently employed as manual laborers. | |
| cooly | from Tamil kuli hire, hireling | |
| copra | from the Malayalam word koppara, coconut kernel or Tamil kopparai / koppara or Telugu word kobbera | |
| corundum | from a Tamil word for 'ruby', kuruntham or kuruvintham | |
| cot | from Tamil kattil (bedstead) and Sanskrit khatva which became Hindi khat | |
| cowrie, cowry | from Sanskrit kaparda, Mahrati kavadi and Tamil kotu (shell). Entered English via Hindi and Urdu kauri (small shell). | |
| Crimson | from Old Spanish cremesin, via Medieval Latin cremesinus from Arabic qirmiz "a kermes", which is ultimately from Sanskrit krmi-ja literally: "red dye produced by a worm." | |
| Crocus | from Sanskrit kunkumam which later became Persian and Arabic kurkum, which mean saffron or saffron yellow, Aramaic kurkama, Hebrew karkom, and Greek crocus. | |
| Cummerbund | from Hindi and Urdu kamarband , meaning "waist binding" [ultimately from Persian ] | |
| curry | from Tamil kari which means 'sauce' | A spicy dish made of meat, fish or vegetables cooked with ground spices, red pepper and turmeric. |
| Cushy | probably from Hindi khushi, - Urdu "easy, happy, soft" [ultimately from Persian]. But some sources suggest an origin from "cushion" | |
| Dacoit | from Hindi Dakait, a robber belonging to an armed gang. | |
| dal | from Hindi dal meaning "split pulse" | |
| Das | from Sanskrit daasa, a slave or servant. | |
| Datura | from Hindi dhatura "jimson weed" which is ultimately from Sanskrit dhatturah, a kind of flowering plant. | |
| Dekko | From Hindi dekho, "look" | from Dekho, the imperative 'look', ( ) meaning look at or study something. (UK slang for 'a look') |
| Deodar | from Hindi deodar which comes from Sanskrit devadaru, a kind of tree. | |
| Deva | from Sanskrit deva, which means "a god", similar to Latin deus, which means 'god'. | |
| Devi | from Sanskrit devi, which means "a goddess". | |
| Dhal | from Hindi dal which comes from Sanskrit dalah, meaning cotyledon of a pea pod, a type of Indian food. Also refers to lentils. | |
| Dharma | from Pali dhamma and Sanskrit meaning "conformity to one's duty and nature" and "divine law". | |
| Dhoti | from Hindi ultimately from Sanskrit dhunoti, traditional garment of men's wear in India. | |
| Dhurrie | From Hindi | A flat woven cotton carpet |
| Dinghy | from Hindi and Bengali dingi "a tiny boat", which is probably from Sanskrit dronam. | A rowing boat |
| Dolly | from the Hindi word dali. | a gift or presentation of fruit, flowers, vegetables or sweets, sometimes arranged in a basket or tray. |
| Doolally | from the town of Deolali, where British troops were stationed before returning to England and developed "camp fever" from boredom | mad, insane |
| Dungaree | from Hindi dungri, a place-name. | A coarse cotton fabric that was traditionally worn by the poor. |
| Durbar | from Hindi and Persian durbar. The court of an Indian prince. | a ceremonial audience chamber. |
| eka (chemical prefix) | from Sanksrit eka which means "one" | |
| Ganja | from Hindi "Elephant bull" ultimately from Sanskrit ganja, which means "hemp". | |
| Garam Masala | from Hindi and Urdu a garam masaalaa, literally "warm ( = hot) mixture". | |
| Gaur | from Hindi "white" which comes from Sanskrit gaurah. | |
| Gavial | from Hindi ghariyal which Is ultimately from Sanskrit ghantikah, a kind of crocodile. | |
| Gayal | from Sanskrit gauh which entered English through Bengali , a kind of animal. | |
| Gharry | from Sanskrit gartah. Entered English via Hindi gaadi, a kind of vehicle. | |
| ghat | from Hindi ghat which means "quay" | |
| Ghee | from Hindi which is ultimately from Sanskrit ghritam "sprinkling". | |
| ginger | from Tamil inciver which is the combined form of inci = ginger and ver = root. May be also from Sanskrit shringaveram "horn-bodied" | |
| godown | from Tamil Kittangi (kidangu/kodangu) which means 'store room', Kannada gadangu and Telugu gidangi. May have entered English via Malay gudang. | |
| Gondwanaland | from Sanskrit gondavana, the name of a forest. | |
| Guar | from Hindi which is ultimately from Sanskrit gopali, an annual legume. | |
| Gunny | from Hindi which is ultimately from Sanskrit goni "sack". | |
| Gurkha | from Nepalese gorkha, which is ultimately from Sanskrit goraksa, "a cowherd". | |
| Guru | from Hindi guru "teacher, priest,". Ultimately from Sanskrit guru-s "one to be honored, teacher," literally "heavy, weighty," | an expert in a field. |
| Gymkhana | from Urdu & Hindi gend-khana (ball-house) .khanah in Persian means "house, dwelling". The term originally referred to a place where sporting events and 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 |
| Hanuman | from Hindi which is ultimately from Sanskrit Hanuman (), name of a Hindu mythological God. | |
| Hare Krishna | from Sanskrit Hare () "oh God!" and Krishna (), name of Hindu god. | |
| harijan | from Sanksrit harijana which is a combination of Hari "Vishnu" + -jana "community" | |
| hatha yoga | from Sanksrit hatha which means "force, violence" and yoga | |
| Himalaya | from Sanskrit himalayah, which means "adode of snow". | |
| Hindi | from Hindi Hind which is ultimately from Sanskrit sindhu, which means "a river". Entered English via Persian Hindu "Sind". | |
| Hindu | from Hindi Hindu which means "an Indian". Comes from Persian hind which was used to denote people from Sindh. | |
| hookah | from Urdu hukkah which comes from Arabic huqqah; "vase, bottle". | |
| howdah | from Urdu haudah which came from Arabic haudaj. | |
| I am | from Sanskrit Aham | |
| Jackal | from Sanskrit srgalah "the howler" and Middle Indic shagal, which later became Persian shaghal and Turkish chakal. | |
| jackfruit | from the Malayalam and Tamil name for the fruit chakka (). The word entered English through Portuguese jaca. | |
| Jaconet | modification of Sanskrit jagannaath, from Jagannath (Puri), [India], where such cloth was first made. | |
| Jaggery | from Sanskrit sarkara and Tamil/Malayalam chakkara which was later transformed to Portuguese jagara, jagre. | |
| Jaggery | from Malayalam chakkara which came from Sanskrit sarkara which was derived from proto-Dravidian. Entered English through Portuguese jagara, jagre. | |
| Jinnah cap | Named after Pakistani statesman Muhammad Ali Jinnah. | A 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). |
| Jodhpurs | Named after the Indian city of Jodhpur , where similar garments are worn by Indian men as part of everyday dress. | Full-length trousers, worn for horseback riding, that are close-fitting below the knee and have reinforced patches on the inside of the leg. |
| Jodhpurs | Riding breeches that fit close to the leg from the knee to the ankle. These are worn with a low pair of boots. They are modelled after similar trousers worn in Jodhpur in Rajasthan. | |
| Juggernaut | from Hindi and sanskrit Jagannath (Sanskrit: jagannatha), 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. Early European visitors witnessed these festivals and returned with reports of religious fanatics committing suicide by throwing themselves under the wheels of the carts. | 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 Hindi jangal "a desert, forest" which came from Sanskrit jangal, which means "arid". | |
| Jute | from Bengali jhuto which is ultimately from Sanskrit juta-s, which means "twisted hair". | |
| kabaddi | From the Tamil word (-) "kai" (hand), "pidi" (catch), which can be translated into "Holding Hands" | |
| Kama Sutra | from Sanksrit kama "love" and sutra 'rein or technique'. | |
| Karma | from Sanskrit karma, which means "work, fate". | |
| Kedgeree | probably from Sanskrit krusar. | A dish of recooked fish, served for breakfast. |
| Kermes | from Sanskrit krumija meaning "worm-made." which later became Persian qermez , Arabic: qirmiz and French Kermes. | |
| Khaki | from Hindi khaki "of dust colour, dusty, grey", Urdu [ultimately from Persian]. | |
| khalsa | from Urdu khalicah which comes from Arabic khalic; "pure, real". | |
| Kos | from Hindi kos which is ultimately from Sanskrit krosah, which means "a call, a shout". | |
| Krait | from Hindi karait which is ultimately from Sanskrit , a kind of snake. | |
| Kshatriya | from Sanksrit kshatriya; 'the ruling class' which comes from kshatra; "rule, authority". | |
| Lac, lakh | from Sanskrit laksha and Prakrit lakkha which became Hindi lakh Persian and came to English through Urdu ., | |
| Lacquer | from Sanskrit laksha which became Arabic lakk, Portuguese Laca and French Laque. | resin |
| Langur | from Sanskrit langulam. Enterd English through Hindi. | |
| Lantern | from Urdu Lal ten , meaning 'lighting device'. | |
| lascar | fromUrdu lashkar "army'. Entered English through Portuguese. | |
| Lilac | from Sanskrit nila, which means "dark blue". Later became Persian nilak meaning "bluish" and entered English throughArabic lilak. | |
| lingam | from Sanskrit linga which means "distinctive mark, penis" | |
| Loot | from Sanskrit lota-m or lunthati meaning "he steals". Entered English through Hindi loot, which means 'a booty, stolen thing'. | |
| Madras | A colourful plaid-patterned textile made of silk or cotton, or both, and coloured with vegetable dyes. It takes its name from the southern city of Madras. | |
| Maharajah | from Hindi which is ultimately from Sanskrit maha-raajan, which means "a great king". | |
| Maharani | from Hindi which is ultimately from Sanskrit maharajni which means "consort of a maharajah". | |
| Maharishi | from Sanskrit maha-rishi, which means 'a great sage'. | |
| Mahatma | from Sanskrit mahatman, which means "a great breath, soul". | |
| Mahayana | from Sanskrit maha-yana, which means "a great vehicle". | |
| Mahout | from Hindi (variant of ) which is ultimately from Sanskrit mahamatrah. | |
| Mandala | from Sanskrit mandala, which means "a disc, circle". | |
| Mandarin | from Hindi mantri "a councillor" which is ultimately from Sanskrit mantri, which means "an advisor". Came to English from Portuguese mandarim. | |
| Mango | derived from Tamil "Maangaay" a Tamil word for an unripe mango. | |
| mango | from Tamil maangaai and Malayalam 'maangaai' where maa=big and kaai=unripe fruit. | |
| Mantra | from Sanskrit mantra which means "a holy message, chanting or text". | |
| Maya | from Sanskrit maya, a religious term which means 'illusion'. | |
| Mithras | from Sanskrit mitrah, which means "a friend". | |
| Mogul | from Hindi and Urdu. from the Persian rulers of India like Akbar and Shah Jahan, the builder of the Taj Mahal. | An acknowledged leader in a field, |
| Moksha | from Sanskrit moksha, liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth, heaven. | |
| mongoose | from Marathi mangoos and Telugu mangisu | |
| Moringa | from Tamil and Malayalam murungai , the word for drumstick. | |
| Mugger | from Hindi and Urdu magar which ultimately comes from Sanskrit makara, a sea creature like a crocodile, which attacks stealthily. | |
| mullah | from Urdu mulla which comes from Arabic mawla | |
| mulligatawny | from Tamil milagu-tanneer from milagu black pepper and tanneer, water | A curry-flavoured soup. |
| Multan | Named after the Pakistani town of Multan. A kind of rug prevalent there. | |
| Mung bean | from Hindi mug Tamil mungu, and Pali/Prakrit mugga which ultimately comes from Sanskrit mudgah, a kind of bean. | |
| Musk | from Sanskrit muska-s meaning 'testicle', from a diminutive of mus (mouse). It was transformed to Persian mushk and then to and Late Greek moskhos. Entered Middle English as muske from Middle French musc which in turn came from Late Latin Muscus. | |
| Mynah | from Hindi maina and Sanskrit madana-s, which means "love". | |
| nabob | from Urdu nawwab "deputy governor".Entered English through French. | |
| Nainsook | from Hindi nainsukh and Urdu which are ultimately from Sanskrit nayanam-sukh, meaning "pleasing to the eyes". | |
| Namaste | from Hindi namasthe which is ultimately from Sanskrit namaha-te, which means "I bow to you". | |
| nan | from Hindi nan. | |
| narc | from Romani nak "nose" | |
| Nard | from Sanskrit naladam which later became Greek nardos and Latin nardus. Entered English through Old French narde. | |
| Narghile | from Sanskrit naarikelah. Entered English through French Narguile and Persian narghileh. | |
| Nark | from Hindi nak which is ultimately from Sanskrit nakra. Came to English from Romany nak "a nose". | |
| navigate | possibly from Tamil (navai) which came to Middle English as navigate, through Latin navigo, from navis (ship) + ago (do), from Proto-Indo-European where nau maens 'boat'. | |
| Neem | through Hindi nim ultimately from Sanskrit nimbah, a kind of tree. | |
| Nilgai | from Hindi nilgaai meaning blue cow which is ultimately from Sanskrit nila-gauh, an ox-like animal. | |
| Nirvana | from Sanskrit nirvana-s which means "extinction, blowing out". | |
| one | from Tamil word onnu which means 'one'. Tamil people pronounce onnu almost similary to one in English | |
| Opal | from Sanskrit upalah.Came to English through French opalle which in turn came from Latin opalus and Greek opallios. | |
| Orange | from Tamil narantham (orange), or naarangam (mandarin-orange), with + = naaraththangaay. Later it was transformed to Sanskrit naranga, Persian narang, Arabic naranj, Italian arancia, Latin orenge, and Old French orenge. | |
| pagoda | perhaps from Tamil pagavadi (house belonging to a deity) and Sanskrit bhagavati (goddess) or from Portuguese pagode which comes from a corruption of Persian butkada (but=idol + kada=dwelling). | |
| Pajamas, Pyjamas | from Hindi pajamas "Leg clothing" and Urdu payjamah which comes from Persian pay "foot" + jamah "garment". | A pair of loose trousers tied at the waist. |
| palanquin | from Sanskrit palyanka; "bed". Later became Javanese pelangki and entered English through Portuguese | |
| Palmyra | from Tamil Pannamarrum/Pannai, (Marram = Tree) | |
| pandal | from Tamil pandhal. | |
| pariah | from Tamil paraiyar, plural of paraiyan "drummer". | outcast |
| pariahdom | from Tamil paraiyar, plural of paraiyan ( a caste whose members are drummers ). The name of the caste is derived from parai, a festival drum. | |
| Pashmina | from Hindi , Urdu , ultimately from Persian . | |
| patchouli | from Tamil pachchai (green), and ellai (leaf). | A small southeast Asian shrub. |
| pepper | from Sanskrit pippali; "berry". Entered English through Latin. | |
| Polo | The game of hockey on horseback originated in Persia. It was played in the extreme west of the Himalayas till it was adopted in Calcutta around 1864, and quickly spread across the lower provinces, and to Kashmir, where summer visitors took it up. It soon made its way to England where it was first played in 1871, and later, to the US. | |
| poon | from Tamil punnai, pinnai, Malayalam punna names for Calophyllum inophyllum | |
| Poori | from Hindi poori, from Sanskrit (pura) or "cake". | |
| poppadom, papadum | from Malayalam or Tamil pappatam, which ultimately comes from Sanskrit parpata (a kind of thin cake made of rice or pease-meal and baked in grease). Entered English via Hindi-Urdu or Punjabi. | |
| portia tree | from Tamil puvarasu, a kind of flowering tree. | |
| Prakrit | from Sanskrit prakrta which means "natural, vulgar" | |
| prize | from Tamil parisu | |
| Pukka | from Hindi Pakka , cooked, ripe, solid. | UK slang for 'genuine'. |
| Punch | from Hindi and Urdu panch , meaning "five". The drink was originally made with five ingredients: alcohol, sugar, lemon, water, and tea or spices. The original drink was named paantsch. | A kind of drink. |
| Pundit | from Hindi Pandit, meaning a learned scholar or Priest. | |
| Punkah | From Hindi pankah; 'fan' | |
| Purdah | A Hindi word from the Persian parda, an area in the house reserved for women and screened from the sight of men by a curtain. | |
| purdah | from Hindi and Urdu pardah "veil, curtain". Derived from the Persian parda, an area in the house for women that was screened from the sight of men by a curtain. | |
| puttee | from Hindi patti "band(age)" which is derived from Sanskrit patta "bandage". | |
| Raga | from Sanskrit ragah, color, passion, melody". Used to denote melodic modes used in Indian classical music. Came to English via Hindi. | |
| Raita | from Sanskrit rajikatiktakah. Came to English via Hindi rayta, | a south Asian condiment and side dish made of yogurt and vegetables. |
| Raj | from Hindi and Pali/Prakrit rajja ultimately from Sanskrit rajya, which means "a king" or "kingdom." Raj means kingdom or domain of a ruler. | |
| Rajah | from Hindi and Sanskrit rajan, which means "a king". | |
| rakshasa | from Sanskrit rakshasa which means "demon". Derived from rakshas; "to be guarded against". | |
| Ramtil | from Hindi and ultimately from Sanskrit ramatilah, which means "a dark sesame". | |
| Rani | from Hindi which is ultimately from Sanskrit rajni, consort of a rajah. | |
| Rice | from Sanskrit vrihi-s (rice), derived from proto-Dravidian which can be found in Tamil as arici. Entered English via Old French ris and Italian riso from Latin oriza, which is from Greek oryza, where it came through an Indo-Iranian tongue. | |
| Roti | from Hindi & Urdu roti "bread"; akin to Prakrit rotta "rice flour", Sanskrit rotika "kind of bread". | |
| Rupee | from Hindi rupiya which is ultimately from Sanskrit rupyakam, an Indian silver coin. | |
| Rye | from Sanskrit raja; a gypsy. Entered English via Romani. | |
| Saccharo | from Sanskrit sarkara and Pali sakkhara which became Greek . Came intoEnglish via Latin Saccharon. | |
| Sadhu | from Sanskrit sadhu meaning "good man." | |
| sahib | from Urdu sahib which comes from Arabic cahib "friend" | |
| Samadhi | from Sanskrit samadhi, which means "putting together". | |
| Sambal | from Sanskrit sambhrei which underwent transformation as Tamil campal. Entered English through Afrikaans where it came from Indonesian. | |
| Sambar | form Hindi ultimately and Sanskrit sambarah, a kind of Asian deer. | |
| samosa | from Hindi samosa | |
| Samsara | from Sanskrit sam-sara, which means "passing through". | |
| Sandal, sandalwood | from Sanskrit chandanam meaning 'wood for burning incense'. This word means sandalwood, and is not related to sandals which is a type of footwear. Entered Middle English as sandell from French sandale which in turn came from Medieval Latin sandalum, Medieval Greek sandalion and Arabic and Persian ; | |
| Sandhi | from Sanskrit samdhih; "junction' - a wide variety of phonological processes. | |
| Sangha | from Sanskrit sangha, a community of Buddhist monks and nuns. | |
| Sanskrit | from Sanskrit samskrtam "put together, perfected, well-formed". | |
| Sapphire | from Sanskrit sanipriya which literally means 'Sacred to Saturn (Shani)'. The word underwent many transformations as Hebrew sapir, Greek sappheiros, Latin sapphirus, and finally entered English via Old French saphir. | |
| Sari | from Hindi sari and Prakrit sadi, finally from Sanskrit sati "garment". | |
| Sarong | from Sanksrit saranga "variegated". An old Indian form of dress. Entered English through Malay sarung. | The chief form of dress in Java and Malaya. |
| Sattva | from Sanskrit sattvah, which means "truth". | |
| Satyagraha | from Sanskrit satyagraha, which means "insisting on truth". Combined form of satya "truth" + graha "pertinacity" | |
| sepoy | from Urdu sipahi "horseman" which comes from Persian sipah "army" | |
| serpent | from Tamil 'Sarppam'. | |
| Shaman | from Sanskrit sramana-s and Prakrit "a Buddhist monk". Entered English through Russian which in turn came from Tungus shaman, and Chinese sha men, | |
| Shampoo | Derived from Hindi and Hindustani champo (),the imperative form of champna, to knead and press the muscles with the view of relieving fatigue. | |
| Shawl | From Urdu and Persian sal, probably from Shaliat, the name of a town in India. May be also from from Sanskrit satI, which means "a strip of cloth". Entered English through Persian shal. | A piece of fabric worn by women over the shoulders or head or wrapped around a baby. |
| shri | from Sanskrit sri "Lakshmi" which also means prosperity. | |
| shrub (drink), Sherbet, Sorbet | from Urdu name of a drink which comes from Arabic shurb "beverage, juice". Derived from shariba; "drink". | |
| Siddha | from Sanskrit siddhah, which means "achieved, accomplished". | |
| Sikh | from Hindi sikh 'a disciple', which is ultimately from Sanskrit sikshati which means "studies". | |
| Singapore | from Sanskrit Simhapuram, literally "the lion city". Came to English language from Malay Singapura. | |
| Singh | from Sanskrit simhah which means 'a lion', and Tamil singam. Entered English via Hindi Singh. | |
| Sinhala | from Sanskrit Simhala which means "Sri Lanka". | |
| Sinhalese | from Sanskrit simhala which means "of lions". | |
| sitar | from Hindi sitar which originally meant"three-stringed". | |
| soma | from Sanskrit soma; 'Vedic liquor'. | |
| Sri Lanka | from Sanskrit: which means "venerable island." | |
| Stupa | from Sanskrit stupah which means "crown of the head". | |
| Sudra | from Sanskrit sudra | |
| sugar | from Tamil sakkarai and Sanskrit sharkara which means "ground or candied sugar". The word was later transformed to Persian shakar, Arabic: sukkar, Medieval Latin succarum, Italian zucchero, and entered English from Old French sucre. | |
| Sunn | from Hindi which is ultimately from Sanskrit sana, a kind of Asian plant. | |
| Sutra | from Sanskrit sutram which means "thread, string". | |
| Suttee | from Sanskrit sati, which means "an honorable woman". Entered English through Hindi. | |
| Swami | from Sanskrit svami, which means "a master". Entered English through Hindi swami. | |
| Swastika | from Sanskrit svastika, which means "one associated with well-being, a lucky charm that gives well-being". | |
| Taka | from Sanskrit tankah. Entered English through Maithili and Bengali | |
| Talipot | from Sanskrit talapatram, a kind of tree. Came to English through Hindi, Indonesian and Malay talipat. | |
| tandoor | from Urdu tandur which comes from Turkish tandir and Arabic tannur "oven" . | |
| tank | possibly from Gujarati tankh which means 'water reservoir' | |
| Tantra | from Sanskrit tantram, which means "weave". | |
| teak | from Malayalam thekku, and Tamil thekku. Entered English via Portuguese teca. | |
| Teapoy | from Hindi tipai and Urdu tipai,which originated as a Sanskrit compound of tri, (three) and pada (foot). | |
| Tendu | from Sanskrit and Hindi tainduka. Came to English via French | |
| Thug | from Marathi and Hindi thag which is ultimately from Sanskrit sthaga, meaning 'a scoundrel'. | |
| tikka | from Hindi tikka. | |
| Til | from Sanskrit tilah, a kind of plant. | |
| Toddy | from Hindi tari and Sanskrit tala, a Dravidian origin is also probable. | |
| Toddy (also Hot toddy) | from Hindi Tari , juice of the palm tree. | |
| Tola | from Sanskrit tula; 'the scale' and Hindi tola, a traditional Indian unit of mass. | |
| Toon | from Hindi tun and Sanskrit tunnah, a kind of tree. | |
| Tope | from Hindi top probably from Prakrit thupo, which came from Sanskrit stupah. | |
| tutenag | from Tamil thuthanaagam meaning "raw zinc". | |
| Tutty | from Sanskrit tuttham meaning "blue vitriol". A Dravidian origin is also probable. Entered Middle English as tutie from Old French, which in turn came from Medieval Latin tutia, Arabic tutiya, and Persian . | |
| Typhoon | from Hindi and Urdu toofaan. A cyclonic storm. | |
| Upanishad | from Sanskrit Upanishad. A combination of upa "near" + nishad "lie down". | |
| veda | from Sanskrit veda "knowledge". | |
| verandah or veranda | from Tamil veruntharai - Verum (empty) + tharai (floor or space) - A roofed open gallery. | |
| vetiver | from Tamil vettiver; a tropical Indian grass; Botanical name: Vetiveria zizanioides; its aromatic roots are used for weaving screens and baskets and the oil in perfumery (source: AHD) | |
| Vimana | from Sanskrit vimana meaning plane, also used to refer to the top of the temple tower, sanctum santorum. | |
| Vina | from Sanskrit veena and Hindi veena, a kind of musical instrument. | |
| vindaloo | from Hindi and Portuguese vin d'alho "wine with garlic" | |
| vivid | from Sanskrit " vividh, meaning 'various'. | |
| wallah | from Hindi -wala. | |
| Wanderoo | from Sanskrit vanarah, a kind of monkey. Entered English through Sinhalese. | A kind of monkey |
| Wat | from Sanskrit vatah meaning "an enclosure." Came to English through Thai | |
| Yoga | through Hindi ultimately from Sanskrit yoga-s, which means "yoke, union". | ancient spiritual practices common in India that have become internationally popularized. |
| Yogi | from Hindi yogi and Sanskrit yogin, one who practices yoga or ascetic. | |
| yoni | from Sanskrit yoni "abode, womb" | |
| Zen | from Pali jhana and Sanskrit dhyana, which means "a meditation". The word graually got transformed through Japanese and Chinese Chan. |
Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases Yiddish Words in English