Indian

[ in-dee-uhn ]

noun

1. Also called American Indian, Amerind, Amerindian, Native American. a member of any of the aboriginal peoples of the Americas, especially of subarctic North America, excluding the Inuit, Yupik, and Aleut.
2. any of the Indigenous languages of the American Indians. : Ind
3. a member of any of the peoples native to or inhabiting India or the East Indies.
4. a citizen of the Republic of India.
5. Slang. a person who performs a required task or carries out the instructions of superiors:

   We have too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

6. Astronomy. the constellation Indus.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the American Indians or their languages.
2. of, relating to, or characteristic of India or the East Indies.
3. made of Indian corn:

   Indian meal.

4. Zoogeography. oriental ( def 3 ).
5. Phytogeography. belonging or pertaining to a geographical division comprising India south of the Himalayas, and Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Indian

/ ˈɪndɪən /

noun

1. a native, citizen, or inhabitant of the Republic of India
2. old-fashioned.
   a Native American
3. not in scholarly usage any of the languages of Native Americans

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of India, its inhabitants, or any of their languages
2. Not in scholarly usage of, relating to, or characteristic of Native Americans or any of their languages

Usage

See Native American

Sensitive Note

Because Christopher Columbus mistakenly believed that the Caribbean island on which he had landed was the subcontinent of India, he called the inhabitants Indians. Eventually, that name was applied to almost all the Indigenous, non-European inhabitants of North and South America. In modern times Indian may refer to an inhabitant of the subcontinent of India or of the East Indies, to a citizen of the Republic of India, or to a member of an aboriginal American people. However, the term Indian is not applied to the Inuit, Yupik, and Aleut of Arctic North America. In the 18th century the term American Indian came to be used for the aboriginal inhabitants of the United States and Canada; it now includes the aboriginal peoples of South America as well. (When necessary, further distinctions are made with such terms as North American Indian and South American Indian. ) The terms Amerindian and Amerind subsequently developed in the attempt to reduce ambiguity. The most recent designation, especially in North America, is Native American. American Indians themselves tend to favor the terms Indian, American Indian, or a specific tribal name. They sometimes refer to themselves collectively as Indian peoples. All these terms appear in edited writing. Whether one or several will gain ascendancy over the others remains to be seen. See Eskimo. honest Injun, Indian giver.

Other Words From

• an·ti-In·di·an adjective noun
• non-In·di·an adjective noun
• pre-In·di·an noun adjective
• pro-In·di·an adjective noun
• pseu·do-In·di·an adjective noun
• trans-In·di·an adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Indian¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Medieval Latin Indiānus; replacing Middle English Indien, from Old French, from Medieval Latin as above; India, -an

Example Sentences

In a post on X, the Indian capital's chief minister, Atishi Marlena Singh, said classes will move online until further notice due to a thick smog that has enveloped the city.

From BBC

“Indian women live one-third of their life after menopause,” she says.

From BBC

But the strategic importance of the archipelago, known officially as the British Indian Ocean Territory, has prompted criticism that the agreement will deliver a security boost to China.

From BBC

Reports of collusion between Yemen’s Houthis and al-Shabab, heightening risks of attacks in East Africa or on shipping in the Indian Ocean, may rekindle US interest in military operations.

From BBC

It was the first Indian feature invited to compete at Cannes in nearly three decades and went on to win the festival’s Grand Prix prize when it premiered in May.

From Los Angeles Times