panchayat

[ puhn-chah-yuht ]

noun

1. an elective village council in India.

Panchayat

/ pənˈtʃɑːjət /

noun

1. a village council in India

Word History and Origins

Origin of panchayat¹

First recorded in 1880–85, panchayat is from the Hindi word pañcāyat

Word History and Origins

Origin of panchayat¹

Hindi, from Sanskrit panch five, because such councils originally consisted of five members

Example Sentences

These need to be then given to the local panchayat or village council.

From BBC

Community members are afraid to speak against the village council of community elders, or panchayat, Tamaichikar added.

From Washington Post

The panchayat has already warned that families of the group's members will be subject to a "social boycott" unless the group is disbanded and they apologise for trying to "defame" the Kanjarbhat community.

From BBC

Village councils, called panchayat or jirga, are illegal but widespread in rural areas where the justice system is out of reach or perceived to be untrustworthy.

From The Guardian

The elders — who effectively served as the “panchayat,” or village council — decided that justice should be served as revenge.

From Washington Post