Language > Tup - Zulu > Urdu

Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.

amildar a factor or manager in India, a collector of revenues.
badmash budmash a bad character; a worthless person. [Urdu f. Pers., f. bad evil + Arab. ma'as means of livelihood].
baft a coarse fabric, orig. Oriental.
bahadur a hero, a great one.
bandobast bundobust an organisation.
bandook bundook (Indian army slang) a rifle, a shotgun.
basant a Pakistani spring festival.
basti bustee busti a flimsy hut.
begum in the Indian subcontinent, a Muslim noblewoman or lady of high rank.
bhang cannabis, Indian hemp, used as a weak narcotic.
bheestie bheesty bhistee bhisti bhistie an Indian water-carrier.
bhuna an Indian sauce.
biriani biriyani biryani a spicy rice dish.
boorka burka bourkha burqa an Arab woman's head-covering.
chabouk chabuk a horse-whip.
chalan challan a way-bill; a pass.
chaprassi chuprassy an office messenger, a household attendant.
charka charkha a spinning wheel used in Indian households for spinning cotton.
charpai charpoy a string framed bed.
chobdar in the Indian subcontinent: an usher bearing a staff, attending on a dignitary.
chokidar chowkidar a watchman.
circar sircar sirkar the state or government; the authorities.
darogha a manager.
deewan dewan diwan in India, a financial minister.
dewani dewanny the office of a DEWAN, an Indian financial minister.
dhansak dansak a dish of meat and vegetables braised in water with lentils.
doab a tongue or tract of land included between two rivers; as, the doab between the Ganges and the Jumna. [Persian do-ab, two waters].
doosra in cricket, a delivery bowled by an off-spinner.
durbar a public levee held by an Indian ruler or by a British ruler in India. [Persian darabar, a prince's court].
gymkhana a sporting contest, esp. one involving riding or driving skills. [Urdu gendkanah racket-court, f. Hind. ged ball + Pers. kanah house].
havildar the rank of sergeant in the Indian army.
hooka hookah a pipe with a long, flexible stem, so arranged that the smoke is cooled by being made to pass through water. [Urdu f. Arab. hukka small box, container, pot, jar].
houdah howdah a seat or covered pavilion on the back of an elephant or camel.
huma a mythical bird similar to the phoenix, supposed to bring luck to any person over whom it hovers on its restless flights. [Pers. & Urdu huma phoenix.]
huzoor an Indian potentate. (Chiefly a title used by Indians in respectful address). [Arabic hudur, the presence].
inqilab (in India, Pakistan etc.) a revolution.
izzat honor, reputation, prestige. [Urdu from Arabic 'izzah, glory].
jamadar in the native army of India, an officer of a rank corresponding to that of lieutenant in the English army. Also JEMIDAR.
jamdani a kind of Dacca muslin. Pl. JAMDANIS.
jawan an Indian common soldier.
jamadar jemadar jemidar in the native army of India, an officer of a rank corresponding to that of lieutenant in the English army.
jezail a long heavy Afghan musket.
kajawah a kind of litter for women consisting of a large pannier or wooden frame, a pair of which are carried by a camel.
kamees kameeze in S. Asia, a loose tunic, worn by women.
khaki dust-coloured, dull brownish. [Urdu khaki, dusty].
khansama khansamah a house-steward or butler in India. [Urdu kansama, Urdu & Pers. kansaman, f. kan master, + saman household goods].
kharif a crop sown before the monsoon to ripen in autumn.
khayal a kind of classical Indian vocal music.
khidmutgar khitmutgar a table-servant.
kincob a rich silk fabric. [Urdu kimkhab].
koftgar someone who inlays steel with gold.
koftgari the craft of inlaying steel with gold.
maidan in India, an open plain; an open space near a town.
masala a mixture of ground spices in Indian cookery.
maulvi moolvi moolvie a teacher in Islam.
mofussil in India, the rural localities of a district as distinguished from the chief station or the town.
murdabad death to, in slogans. No -S.
nabob (the title of) any of certain Muslim officials acting as deputy governors of provinces or districts in the Mughal Empire; a governor of an Indian town or district.
nabobery being like a NABOB.
nabobess a female NABOB, a European who has amassed a fortune in the East.
nabobism the system of having NABOBS.
nawab a governor of India under British.
numdah an embroidered felt rug made in India.
numnah a pad placed under a saddle to prevent chafing.
pardah purda purdah seclusion of women from public observation among Muslims and some Hindus. [Urdu pardah, curtain].
rabi the spring grain harvest in India and Pakistan. [Arabic rabi, spring].
ressaldar risaldar an Indian troop commander.
romal rumal a handkerchief or headcloth; a silk or cotton fabric.
salwar as in salwar kameez, a kind of long tunic.
sardar sirdar a native chief in Hindostan; a headman.
sebundy in India, an irregular soldier or soldiers.
sepoy an Indian soldier.
serang the boatswain of a Lascar or East Indian crew. [Persian sarhang, a commander].
shalwar loose-fitting trousers worn by both sexes in many parts of Asia.
shikar hunting, game; (verb) to hunt (animal) as sport.
shikaree shikari a hunter, esp. of big game.
shisha a pipe with a long flexible stem a HOOKAH.
silladar an irregular cavalryman who provided his own horse and arms.
sitar sittar an Indian musical instrument. [Urdu sitar, f. sih three + tar string].
sowar a mounted soldier. [Urdu sawar, horseman].
sowarree sowarry a mounted retinue, a cavalcade. [Urdu sawar horseman].
tamasha in the Indian subcontinent: an entertainment, a show, a spectacle, a public function.
zamboorak zumbooruk zomboruk zumbooruck a small swivel-gun, esp. one mounted on the back of a camel.
zanana zenana in the Indian subcontinent, the part of a house in which high-caste women are or were secluded.
zari a type of thread made of fine gold or silver wire used in traditional Indian and Pakistani garments.