List of Indian Words Enter into English Dictionary ~ All About English Literature

Language is a medium with its own set of culture and entertainment. English language has been showing its flexibility which is one of the main reasons why English has been regarded as an International Language today. Born in Germania it has constantly been acquiring new words from other languages and inserting them in the corpus of the language.

The culture of India is one of the oldest cultures in the world and yet it is so diverse as to be impossible to pin down and define. The South, North, and Northeast have their own distinct cultures and almost every state has carved out its own cultural niche. In spite of the diversity, it's bound by a common thread as one civilization perhaps because of its shared history of colonization and the following struggle for independence from the British.

Since the first colonisation had begun in 17^th century, a vast array of Indian words also made its easy access into English dictionary. Being its diversity India has got 21 official languages, 150 major languages and about 1652 recorded languages and dialects. A huge chunk of words and phrases from different part of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar got its entry into English language. The perpetual influence of India’s culture on the English language indicates the importance of our cultural heritage and the role it played in enriching the foreign language. The table below I have just wished to draw the words and their origin with meaning that English still owes to Indian:

English Terms	Meaning	Root Words/ Script / Language
Adda	Gathering of friends and relatives for mere gossiping.	আড্ডা Bengali
Ahimsa	Non-violence	अहिंसा ahimsā (Sanskrit)Gandhiji popularised this word.
Ambarella	A kind of tree	Sinhalese: ඇඹරැල්ලා æmbarællā
Amrita	Nectar of everlasting life	Sanskrit अमृतम् amṛtam
Aniline	A toxic organic compound	Sanskrit नीली nili Portugese Anil
Apadravya	A male genital piercing where a barbell passes through the penis	Sanskrit
Aryan	Noble or honourable	Sanskrit आर्य Arya-s/ Greek Ἀρεία Areia/ Latin Ariana
Asana	Yoga postures	Sanskrit आसन āsana (seat)
Ashram	A religious heritage	Sanskrit आश्रम āśrama
Atoll	Coral reef enclosing a lagoon	Sanskrit अन्तला antala/ Maldivean:އަތޮޅު
Aubergine	Eggplant	Sanskrit वातिगगम vātigagama
Avatar	The incarnation of a Hindu deity	Avtar अवतार
Ayurveda	Organic medicine from herb	Sanskrit आयुर्वेद āyurveda (knowledge of life)
Bahuvrihi	Much rice	Sanskrit बहुव्रीहि bahuvrīhih
Bamboo	A tropical giant woody grass	ಬಂಬು baṃbu (Kannada)
Bandanna	A large and brightly coloured handkerchief; often used as a neckerchief.	Bandhna बांधना (Hindi)
Bandicoot	Pig rat	పందికొక్కు pandi-kokka (Telegu)
Bangle	A type of bracelet	bāngṛī बांगड़ी (hindi)
Banyan	A merchant	Sanskrit वणिज्‌ vaṇij/ Hindi baniya
Basmati	A kind of slender aromatic rice	Sanskrit वास vāsa/ Hindi बासमती
Beryl	Most alluring and popular mineral	Prakrit वेलुरिय (veluriya)
Betel	A leaf of a vine belonging to the Piperaceae family	Betel Tamil or Malaylam
Bhakti	Passionate religious devotion	Sanskrit भक्ति bhakti
Bhang	hemp	Sanskrit भङ्ग bhaṅga
Bidi	A thin Indian cigarette wrapped in kendu leaf.	Sanskrit वितिक vitika
Blighty	"Britain" (as a term of endearment among British troops stationed in Colonial India) / foreigner	Vilāyatī विलायती, ولايتى
Bridal Piri	Seat for newly married bride-groom as per hindu custom.	বিয়ের পিড়ি Bengali
Brinjal	Eggplant vegetable	Sanskrit भण्टाकी bhaṇṭākī/ Persian بادنجان badingān
Buddha	Enlightened or awakened	Sanskrit बुद्ध Buddha/ from the name of Siddhartha Gautam Buddha
Bungalow	House in Bengal style	Bangle بنگلہ, बंगला
Candy	crystallized sugar or confection made from sugar	Qand (Persian) ‘khanda’ (Sanskrit)
Catamaran	Tied wood	கட்டுமரம் Kattumaram in Tamil
Cheroot	A cylindrical cigar	சுருட்டு suruṭṭu in Tamil
Cheetah	Variegated	Cītā चीता
Chit	a letter or note	Chitthi चिट्ठी
Chuddar	A large piece of cloth for wrapping upper part of the body	Sanskrit छत्रम् chatram
Chukar	Partridge	Urdu چکور chukar/ Hindi चकोर / Sanskrit चकोर cakorah
Chukkar	A circle or wheel	Sanskrit चक्र cakra/ Urdu چکرchakkar
Chutney	A sauce in the cuisines of the Indian sub-continent.	Chatni चटनी (Tamil)
Coir	cord/rope, fibre from husk of coconut	Malayalam kayar (കയർ) Or Tamil kayiru (கயிறு)
Congee	porridge, water with rice	Khanji (Tamil)
Coolie	A labourer or slave	Tamil cooli (கூலி) Or Gujrati
Corundum		குருந்தம்/ குருவிந்தம் kuruntham/ kuruvintham
Cot	A portable bed	Khāt खाट
Chowkat	A door frame	Chokaath
Cowry	the shells of certain sea snails	Sanskrit kaparda (कपर्द)
Crimson	Reddish colour	Sanskrit कृमिज krmi-ja literally: "red dye produced by a worm”/ Spanish cremesin
Crocus	A flowering plant of iris family.	कुङ्कुमं kunkumam (Sanskrit)/ Hebrew כרכום karkōm/ Greek κρόκος crocus
Cummerbund	A waist-binding	Kamarband कमरबन्द - Urdu کمربند
Curry	a variety of dishes flavored with a spicy sauce	Dravidian Language
Cushy	Easy, happy, exalted	Khushi ख़ुशी خوشی
Dacoit	Robbers, Bandit	Dakait डकैत्
Das	Servant or slave	Sanskrit दासा daasa
Datura	A kind of flowering plant	Sanskrit धत्तुरह dhattūrāh
Deodar	A kind of tree found in mountain region	Sanskrit देवदारु devadāru
Dekko	Look at or study something	Dekho देखो
Deva	God	Sanskrit देवी deva/ Latin deus
Devi	Goddess	Sanskrit देवी devi
Dhal	A kind of Indian food of dried pulse.	Hindi दल dāl
Dharma	Conformity to one’s nature	Pali: धम्म dhamma / Sanskrit: धर्म
Dhole	Wolf or dog species animal	ತೋಳ tōḷa (kannada)
Dinghy	A small boat	Dinghi
Ganja	Marijuana	Sanskrit गांजा gāñjā
Garam masala	A hot (spicy) mixture	garam masālā गरम मसाल‌ा گرم مصالح
Gayal	A large bovine found in Northern India	Sanskrit गौह gauh via Bengali গযল্
Gharry	Vehicle	Sanskrit गर्त gartah via Hindi: गाड़ी,
Gharial	A kind of crocodile	Sanskrit घंतिक ghantikah
Ghee	A kind of clarified butter	Sanskrit: घृतं ghritam
Ginger	a fragrant spice	Tamil inchi (இஞ்சி) or Malayalam inchi (ഇഞ്ചി)
Godown	Warehouse	Telugu giḍangi or Tamil kiṭanku
Gour	White skinned	Sanskrit गौरह gaurah
Guar	an annual legume	Sanskrit गॊपलि gopālī,
Gunny	Sack	Sanskrit गोणी goni
Gurkha	A cowherd	via Nepalese गोर्खा / Sanskrit गोरक्ष goraksa,
Guru	An honourable teacher or priest. / heavy	Guruh गुरुः (Sanskrit)
Gymkhana	A sporting ground where different contests are arranged to test skill.
Hanuman	Mythological Monkey God (Hindu)	Sanskrit hanuman (हनुमान्)
Hare Krishna	Praising God Krishna	Sanskrit Hare (हरि) and Krishna (कृष्ण
Himalaya	Adobe of snow	Sanskrit हिमालय himalayah
Hijra	Impotent men	ಹಿಜಡಾ Hijaḍā (Kannada)
Hindi	The national language of India	Sanskrit सिन्धु sindhu (river name)
Interim	Intermediate	Sanskrit अन्तरीम antarim
Jackle	A kind of fox	Turkish çakal, / Persian شغال shaghal/ Sanskrit शृगालः srgalah
Jaconet	A lightweight cotton cloth with a smooth and slightly stiff finish.	Jagannaath (Puri, India) Where this kind of textile is originally made of.
Jaggery	coarse brown sugar made from palm and sugarcane	Malayalam sharkara (ശർക്കര) Or Tamil sakkarai (சக்கரை)
Jinnah Cap	A hat shaped like a fez but made of real or imitation karakul and worn by Pakistani Muslims on occasion	Karakulli topi (Name changed as Muhmmad Ali Jinnah wore this hat)
Jodhpurs	Full-length trousers, worn for horseback riding, that are close-fitting below the knee and have reinforced patches on the inside of the leg.	Named after Jodhpur, an important place of Rajasthan, India.
Juggernaut	A metaphor for something immense and unstoppable because of institutional or physical inertia; or impending catastrophe that is foreseeable yet virtually unavoidable because of such inertia.	Jagannath जगन्नाथ
Jungal	Woods or forest	Jangal जङल्
Jute	A kind of fibre used to make thread, sack etc.	Bengali পাট jhuto / Sanskrit जुतास juta-s (twisted hair)
Kala	Black/ evil	Hindi/ Sanskrit
Kedgeree	Spicy rice	Sanskrit कृशर krśara
Kermes	Worm- made	Persian قرمز qermez / Sanskrit: कृमिज kṛmija
Khaki	A dusty or grey colour/ police uniform	Khākī खकि خاکی
Karma	Action/ deed/ cycle of cause and effect	Sanskrit
Kos	A shout	Sanskrit रोस krosah
Krait	A kind of snake	Sanskrit: काराइट
Lac	100 thousand	Hindi लाख lakh from Prakrit लक्ख lakkha / Sanskrit लाक्षम्
Lacquer	A liquid	Sanskrit लक्षं laksha
Langur	An animal of monkey family	Sanskrit लंगुलम langūlam
Lilac	Dark blue coloured flower	Persian نیلک nilak
Loot	Robbery	LooT , लूट
Multan	A kind of rug prevalent there	A place in Pakistan named “Multan”
Mogul	Ancient Mughal Dynasty ruled set up by Babara	Mughal
Maharaja	A king	Sanskrit महा राजन् maha-rājān
Maharani	A queen	Sanskrit महा रानी mahārājnī
Maharishi	A great sage	Sanskrit महर्षि maha-rishi
Mahatma	A great soul	Sanskrit महात्मा mahatman
Mahayana	A great vehicle	Sanskrit महायान maha-yana
Mahout	Elephant driver	Sanskrit महमत्रह् mahāmātrah
Mandala	A circle	Sanskrit मण्डल mandala
Mandarin	Advisor	Sanskrit मन्त्रिन् mantri
Mango	A very popular tropical fruit found in summer season.	Malayalam or Tamil
Mantra	A word or phrase or psalm used in meditation	Sanskrit
Maya	Illusion	Sanskrit माया māyā
Mithras	Friend	Sanskrit मित्र Mitrah
Moksha	Salvation or purification of soul	Sanskrit मोक्ष moksha
Mongoose	A small carnivorous mammal from southern Eurasia or Africa, known for killing snakes	Dravidian Language, spelling influenced by English ‘goose’.
Mulligatawny	Pepper water	Milaguthanni (Tamil)
Mung	One type of bean	Sanskrit mudga (मुद्ग) or Tamil mūngu (முங்கு)
Musk	a testicle	Sanskrit मुस्कस् muska-s
Mynah	A kind of speaking bird	Sanskrit मदन madana-s (love)
Nainsook	Pleasing to the eye	from Sanskrit नयनम्सुख् nayanam-sukh
Namaste	I bow to you	Sanskrit नमस्ते namaha-te
Nard	A round fat annoying person	French narde and Latin nardus / Sanskrit नलदम् naladam
Narghile	Hookah	Sanskrit नारिकेलः nārikelah
Nark	A police informer	Sanskrit नक्र‌ nakra
Navigation	Voyage	Sanskrit नौयान nauyaan
Neem	A kind of very useful medical tree	Sanskrit निम्बः nimbah
Nilgai	A kind of cow	Sanskrit नीलगौः nīla-gauh
Nirvana	The highest state of peace and enlightenment when individual desires and sufferings go away.	Sanskrit or Prakrit
Nehru Jacket	a kind of sleeveless jacket that worn buttoned up to neck - formal and often worn by the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru
Opal	A kind of gem	Sanskrit औपल upalah
Orange	A citrus fruit, or a colour named for the fruit	Sanskrit ‘naranga’ or Arabic ‘naranj’
Pagoda	A religious building	Tamil pagavadi (பகாவடி)
Pandal	Temporary shelter	பந்தல் Pandhal (Tamil)
Panther	A tiger species animal	Sanskrit पाण्डर pāṇḍara (Pale)
Pariah	A social outcaste	Tamil paṟaiyar (பறையர்)
Patchouli	A kind of spice plant like mint.	pachchai ilai (Tamil)
Path	way	Sanskrit
Peacock	A beautiful bird known for its dance in the monsoon.	Tamil tokei (தோகை) Or may be O.E. ‘pawa’
Pitta	Young bird	Pitta పిట్ట (Telegu)
Poori	A kind of cake	Poori पुर
Punch	Mixture of five ingredients	panch , also there was a drink named paantsch پانچ
Pundit	A learned scholar or priest.	पण्डित Pandit
Pukka	UK slang: “genuine” or “solid”	Pakkā पक्का,پکا
Purana	Ancient time/ Hindu religious texts that are part of the Vedas.	Sanskrit
Pyjamas	A kind of leg garment	पैजामा paijaamaa پاى
Raga	Indian Classical music	Sanskrit राग rāgah,
Raita	A kind of India dish made especially for accompaniment of roti.	रायता ریتا Rayta
Raj	Kingdom	Sanskrit राज्य rājya
Rajah	King	Sanskrit राजन् rājān
Ramtil	a dark sesame	Sanskrit रामतिलः rāmatilah
Rani	Queen	Sanskrit राज्ञी rājnī
Rice	Seed of paddy	Sanskrit व्रीहिस् vrihi-s
Roti	Kind of Indian bread	रॊटी روٹی roti
Rupee	Indian currency	Sanskrit रूप्यकम् rūpyakam
Rye	A kind of crop	Sanskrit राजा rājā
Saccharo	Sugar	Pali सक्खर sakkharā / Sanskrit शर्करा sarkarā
Sadhu	Honest man	Sanskrit साधु sādhu
Sahib	European people	Hindi ‘saheb’
Samadhi	A spiritual state of consciousness	Sanskrit समाधि samadhi
Sambal	A spicy condiment	Tamil or Telegu
Sambar	Asian deer	Sanskrit संभारह् śambarah
Samsara	Passing through	Sanskrit संसार saṃ-sāra
Sandal	wood for burning incense	Sanskrit चन्दनम् candanam / Greek σανδάλιον sandalion
Sangha	A community for Buddhist monk	Sanskrit संघ saṅgha
Sanskrita	Put together	Sanskrit संस्कृतम् samskrtam
Sapphire	A precious stone sacred to Saturn (Sani)	Latin sapphirus and Greek σάπφειρος sappheiros / Sanskrit शनिप्रिय
Sari	A kind of ladies garment	Prakrit सदि sadi/ Sanskrit षाटी sati
Satyagraha	insisting on truth	Sanskrit सत्याग्रह satyagraha
Sattva	truth	Sanskrit सत्त्व sattvah
Shamana	a Buddhist monk	Sanskrit श्रमण sramana-s
Shampoo	A liquid preparation for washing the hair.	chāmpo चाँपो
Shanti	Peace of mind	Sanskrit, T.S. Eliot made the term entry in his The Waste Land.
Shawl	A strip of cloth	Sanskrit सत्ल् satI
Siddha	Achieved	Sanskrit सिद्ध siddhah
Sikh	Studies	Hindi सिख sikh
Singh	A lion	Sanskrit सिंहः simhah
Stupa	Crown of the head	Sanskrit स्तूपः stūpah
Sulfur	Copper’s enemy	Sanskrit शुल्बारी shulbari
Sugar	ground or candied sugar	Sanskrit शर्करा sharkara
Sunn	A kind of fibre plant	Sanskrit: सन sāna
Sutra	rule	Sanskrit सूत्र sutram
Suttee	Virgin woman	Sanskrit सती sati
Swami	Lord or master	Sanskrit स्वामी svami
Swastika	A lucky charm	Sanskrit स्वस्तिक svastika
Taka	Money	Bengali: টাকা
Tantra	weave	Sanskrit तन्त्र tantram
Teak	A tropical hardwood tree	tekku (தேக்கு) in Tamil
Teapoy	Three-legged table	Sanskrit compound: त्रि
Thug	A cheater or con man	Thagi ठग
Til	A kind of plant	Sanskrit तिल tilah
Toddy	A kind of juice from palm tree	Tārī ताड़ी
Tola	A traditional unit of mass	Sanskrit तुला tulā
Tutty	Blue vitriol	Sanskrit तुत्थं tuttham
Typhoon	A cyclonic storm	طوفان toofaan
Veranda	Porch or corridor	baramdaa बरामदा
Vimana	Aeroplane	Sanskrit विमान vimana
Vina	A kind of musical instrument	Sanskrit वीणा vīṇā
Vinyasa	To place	Sanskrit
Wanderoo	A kind of monkey	Sanskrit वानर vānarah
Wat	An enclosure	Sanskrit वात vātah
Yoga	An ancient Hindu spiritual practices common in India that have become internationally popular	योग
Yogi	One who practises yoga	Sanskrit योगिन् yogin
Yugas	Age/ Period	Sanskrit
Zen	A meditation	Japanese 禅 and Chinese 禪 Chán / Sanskrit ध्यान dhyana
Zamindar	A landholder of British colonial India for collecting taxes.