HINDOO

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Hindoo mean? 

• HINDOO (noun)
  The noun HINDOO has 2 senses:

1. a native or inhabitant of Hindustan or India

2. a person who adheres to Hinduism

  Familiarity information: HINDOO used as a noun is rare.

• HINDOO (adjective)
  The adjective HINDOO has 1 sense:

1. of or relating to or supporting Hinduism

  Familiarity information: HINDOO used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HINDOO (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A native or inhabitant of Hindustan or India

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Hindoo; Hindu; Hindustani

Hypernyms ("Hindoo" is a kind of...):

Asian; Asiatic (a native or inhabitant of Asia)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "Hindoo"):

brahman; brahmin (a member of the highest of the four Hindu varnas)

Kshatriya (a member of the royal or warrior Hindu caste)

Rajpoot; Rajput (a member of the dominant Hindu military caste in northern India)

Shudra; Sudra (a member of the lowest or worker Hindu caste)

Vaisya (a member of the mercantile and professional Hindu caste; the third of the four main castes)

Holonyms ("Hindoo" is a member of...):

Hindustan (northern region of India where Hinduism predominates)

Derivation:

Hindoo (of or relating to or supporting Hinduism)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A person who adheres to Hinduism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Hindoo; Hindu

Hypernyms ("Hindoo" is a kind of...):

religious person (a person who manifests devotion to a deity)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "Hindoo"):

swami (a Hindu religious teacher; used as a title of respect)

chela (a Hindu disciple of a swami)

Hare Krishna (worshipper of Krishna and member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness)

Shaktist (worshipper of Shakti)

Shivaist (worshipper of Shiva)

Vaishnava (worshipper of Vishnu)

saddhu; sadhu ((Hinduism) an ascetic holy man)

sannyasi; sannyasin; sanyasi (a Hindu religious mendicant)

Holonyms ("Hindoo" is a member of...):

Hindooism; Hinduism (the religion of most people in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal)

Derivation:

Hindoo (of or relating to or supporting Hinduism)

• HINDOO (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of or relating to or supporting Hinduism

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Synonyms:

Hindi; Hindoo; Hindu

Context example:

the Hindu faith

Pertainym:

Hinduism (a body of religious and philosophical beliefs and cultural practices native to India and based on a caste system; it is characterized by a belief in reincarnation, by a belief in a supreme being of many forms and natures, by the view that opposing theories are aspects of one eternal truth, and by a desire for liberation from earthly evils)

Derivation:

Hindoo (a person who adheres to Hinduism)

Hindoo (a native or inhabitant of Hindustan or India)

 Context examples 

I can ponder life and death like a Hindoo sage.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

There was a superstition among us that this cap had come from France, and could only originate in the workmanship of that ingenious nation: but all I certainly know about it, is, that it always made its appearance of an evening, wheresoever Mrs. Markleham made HER appearance; that it was carried about to friendly meetings in a Hindoo basket; that the butterflies had the gift of trembling constantly; and that they improved the shining hours at Doctor Strong's expense, like busy bees.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)