Hindustani

or Hin·doo·sta·ni

[ hin-doo-stah-nee, -stan-ee ]

noun

1. a standard language and lingua franca of northern India based on a dialect of Western Hindi spoken around Delhi. : Hind Compare Hindi ( def 2 ), Urdu.

adjective

1. of or relating to Hindustan, its people, or their languages.

Hindustani

/ ˌhɪndəʊˈstɑːnɪ; ˌhɪndʊˈstɑːnɪ /

noun

1. the dialect of Hindi spoken in Delhi: used as a lingua franca throughout India
2. a group of languages or dialects consisting of all spoken forms of Hindi and Urdu considered together

adjective

1. of or relating to these languages or Hindustan

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hindustani¹

First recorded in 1780–90; Hindustan ( def ) + -ī a suffix indicating relationship or origin

Example Sentences

Her work is a duet between traditions, where classically notated orchestral and chamber ensembles dance with improvised, microtonal Hindustani vocals, sitars and violins.

From Los Angeles Times

Silver based the opera’s themes on ragas, sets of musical notes that form the scaffolding around which Hindustani musicians create rhythms and melodies, often intertwined with vocals.

From Seattle Times

From new genres like gully or street rap to the Hindustani techno, indie music is handmade, effortlessly cool and is genuinely ground-breaking.

From BBC

In addition to having "exceptional posture" and a "beautiful smile," Edwina is well-versed in French, Latin, Greek and, of course, her native Marathi and Hindustani.

From Salon

Aftab, who studied at the Berklee School of Music and is based in Brooklyn, has won rave reviews for her music - which mingles jazz, Hindustani classical music and Sufi devotional poetry.

From BBC