afghani

[ af-gan-ee, -gah-nee ]

noun
  1. a coin and monetary unit of Afghanistan, equal to 100 puls. Abbreviation: Agh.

  2. Afghani. Literary. Pashto.

  1. Afghani. Sometimes Offensive. Afghan (def. 1).

Origin of afghani

1
First recorded in 1820–30; Afghan + a suffix indicating relationship or origin

usage note For afghani

Afghan is the proper term for a native or inhabitant of Afghanistan. The use of Afghani in this meaning is considered to be incorrect and is sometimes perceived as offensive.
The -i in Afghani is a suffix used in the names of certain peoples in southwest and central Asia: for example, an Israeli lives in Israel; a Pakistani lives in Pakistan. However, the bordering countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan have a history of strained diplomatic relations. Therefore, objection to the use of Afghani (to refer to a person) may be explained by the word’s similarity to Pakistani, and to Paki, a synonymous but highly offensive term.

Words Nearby afghani

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use afghani in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for afghani (1 of 2)

afghani

/ (æfˈɡɑːnɪ) /


noun
  1. the standard monetary unit of Afghanistan, divided into 100 puli

British Dictionary definitions for Afghani (2 of 2)

Afghani

/ (æfˈɡɑːnɪ) /


noun
  1. Jamal ad-Din al-. 1839–97, Iranian Muslim religious and political reformer; a proponent of Muslim unity, he resisted European interference in Muslim countries

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