Hindustani
[hin-d
oo
-
stah
-nee, -
stan
-ee]
/ˌhɪn dʊˈstɑ ni, -ˈstæn i/
noun
1.
a standard language and lingua franca of northern India based on a dialect of Western Hindi spoken around Delhi.
Abbreviation:
Hind.
Compare
Hindi
(def 2),
Urdu
.
adjective
2.
of or pertaining to Hindustan, its people, or their languages.
Also,
Hindoostani
,
Hindostani
.
Origin
1610-20;
<
Hindi,
Urdu
<
Persian,
equivalent to
Hindūstān
region of the Indus,
Sind
(
Hindū
Hindu
+
stān
country) +
-ī
suffix of appurtenance
British Dictionary definitions for
Hindustani
Hindustani
/
ˌhɪndʊˈstɑːnɪ
/
noun
1.
the dialect of Hindi spoken in Delhi: used as a lingua franca throughout India
2.
a group of languages or dialects consisting of all spoken forms of Hindi and Urdu considered together
adjective
3.
of or relating to these languages or Hindustan