Nearby Words
noun
1.
Also called American Indian, Amerind, Amerindian, Native American. a member of the aboriginal people of America or of any of the aboriginal North or South American stocks, usually excluding the Eskimos.
2.
any of the indigenous languages of the American Indians. Abbreviation: 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.
EXPANDSlang. a person who performs a required task or carries out the instructions of superiors: We have too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
6.
COLLAPSEAstronomy. the constellation Indus.
adjective
7.
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the American Indians or their languages.
8.
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of India or the East Indies.
9.
made of Indian corn: Indian meal.
10.
Zoogeography. oriental (def. 3).
11.
Phytogeography. belonging or pertaining to a geographical division comprising India south of the Himalayas, and Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
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Indian
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
Origin:
1350–1400; < Medieval Latin Indiānus; replacing Middle English Indien < Old French < Medieval Latin as above. See India, -an
1350–1400; < Medieval Latin Indiānus; replacing Middle English Indien < Old French < Medieval Latin as above. See India, -an
Related forms
non-In·di·an, adjective, noun
pre-In·di·an, noun, adjective
pro-In·di·an, adjective
pseu·do-In·di·an, adjective, noun
trans-In·di·an, adjective
Usage 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.EXPAND
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. For some, especially among North American Indians, the preferred designation is Native American. All these terms appear in edited writing. Whether one or several will gain ascendancy over the others remains to be seen.
The only pre-European inhabitants of North America to whom Indian or other terms using the word Indian are not applied are the Eskimos or Inuit. See Eskimo.
COLLAPSE
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.EXPAND
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. For some, especially among North American Indians, the preferred designation is Native American. All these terms appear in edited writing. Whether one or several will gain ascendancy over the others remains to be seen.
The only pre-European inhabitants of North America to whom Indian or other terms using the word Indian are not applied are the Eskimos or Inuit. See Eskimo.
COLLAPSE
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To Indian
Collins
World English Dictionary
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
Indian
applied to the native inhabitants of the Americas from at least 1553, on the mistaken notion that America was the eastern end of Asia. Red Indian, to distinguish them from inhabitants of India, is first attested 1831, but not commonly used in N.Amer. More than 500 modern phrases include Indian, most
EXPAND of them U.S. and most impugning honesty or intelligence, e.g. Indian giver, first attested 1765 in Indian gift:
COLLAPSE
"An Indian gift is a proverbial expression, signifying a present for which an equivalent return is expected." [Thomas Hutchinson, "History of Massachusetts Bay," 1765]Meaning "one who gives a gift and then asks for it back" first attested 1892.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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