Punjabi
Americannoun
plural
Punjabis-
a native or inhabitant of the Punjab.
-
an Indic language of the Punjab.
adjective
noun
-
a member of the chief people of the Punjab
-
the state language of the Punjab, belonging to the Indic branch of the Indo-European family
adjective
Usage
What does Punjabi mean? A Punjabi is a person who is from or lives in Punjab, a former UK province.Punjabi is also the language spoken by the people of Punjab.Punjab was a province of British India until 1947. In that year, the province was split between the Asian countries of India and Pakistan. The majority of the former Punjab is now located in Pakistan, as the eastern province of Punjab. The rest of the land makes up the northwestern Indian state of Punjab.According to the 2011 Indian Census, just over 33 million speakers of Punjabi lived in India. It was the 11th most popular language in the country at that time, with 2.7 percent of the country speaking it.According to the CIA Factbook, Punjabis are the largest ethnic group in Pakistan, making up 44.7 percent of the population, and the Punjabi language is spoken by 48 percent of the country.
Etymology
Origin of Punjabi
First recorded in 1780–90; Punjab + -ī a suffix indicating relationship or origin
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Anita is of Goan origin, whereas Gini is of Punjabi origin, and so they have a similar skin colour."
From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026
These days, around two in five truck drivers on the West Coast are Indian immigrants, according to the North American Punjabi Trucking Association.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026
Why are Punjabi Indian truck drivers disappearing during the holiday rush?
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 19, 2025
If you’re a Punjabi speaker who wants to open a bank account in Kannada-speaking Karnataka, your best bet is to do it in English.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025
The material of the Punjabi pajama set begins to scratch his skin.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
