indian
indian — adjective
1. relating to the country of India, or to the people who live there.
relating to the country of India, or to the people who live there.
Nikhil's mother brought Indian sweets to share at the festival.
collocation: Indian sweets / Indian food
The museum has a large collection of Indian paintings from the 1700s.
Putri learned to cook Indian dishes from her grandmother's recipes.
Many Indian companies now sell their products all over the world.
The dance performance showed both Indian and Chinese traditions side by side.
- South Asian
broader geographic term covering India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives
常見錯誤
2. relating to the original peoples who lived across the American continents before
relating to the original peoples who lived across the American continents before European arrival — a term once used in government and legal contexts that is now seen as offensive and misleading.
The old treaty used the word 'Indian' for the Indigenous nations of the Great Plains.
historical context: treaty language
Today, most people avoid the word 'Indian' and instead say 'Native American' or 'Indigenous person'.
avoided term; preferred alternatives
Government records from the 1800s still use the term 'Indian territory' in official documents.
Allison was surprised to learn that her grandmother's old textbooks called Indigenous Americans 'Indians'.
- Native American
preferred general term in the US for Indigenous peoples
- Indigenous
broader term used internationally, less tied to US-specific history
- First Nations
standard term in Canada for Indigenous peoples (excluding Inuit and Metis)
用法筆記
This sense is now considered offensive when referring to Indigenous peoples of the Americas. In the United States, 'Native American' or 'American Indian' (used by some government agencies) are more accepted, though many prefer the name of their specific nation (e.g., 'Navajo,' 'Lakota,' 'Cherokee'). In Canada, 'First Nations' or 'Indigenous' are the standard terms. Avoid using this sense outside of direct historical quotation or legal names.
常見錯誤
indian — noun
1. a person who is from India or has ancestors who lived in that country.
a person who is from India or has ancestors who lived in that country.
Jiwoo's new neighbour is an Indian from Mumbai who works as a software engineer.
structure: an Indian from [city] + [job]
The restaurant on Elm Street was opened by two Indians from the state of Kerala.
Indians make up one of the largest groups of international students in the United States.
Yasmin met several Indians during her trip to Singapore last summer.
My university has a cultural fair where Indians and Chinese students share their traditions.
- South Asian
broader term covering people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives
- Desi
informal term used by people of South Asian origin to describe themselves or their culture
常見錯誤
2. a person belonging to one of the original peoples who lived across the American
a person belonging to one of the original peoples who lived across the American continents before European arrival — a term that was common in earlier times but is now treated as offensive.
The explorer's diary called every Indigenous person 'an Indian,' which sounds wrong today.
Historians now avoid the word 'Indian' and instead use 'Mohawk,' 'Mapuche,' or the person's nation name.
preferred usage: use the nation's name
Gabriel learned that Columbus used 'Indian' because he thought he had reached India.
The museum label says that calling someone 'an Indian' is now considered offensive.
- Native American
preferred general term in the US; also used in formal contexts
- Indigenous person
broad, internationally accepted term
- First Nations person
standard term in Canada
用法筆記
This sense is now considered offensive in general use. Never use it to describe an Indigenous person in modern contexts. Preferred alternatives: use the specific nation name (e.g., 'Cherokee,' 'Lakota,' 'Inuit') when known, or general terms such as 'Native American' (US), 'First Nations person' (Canada), or 'Indigenous person' (international). The term survives in the official names of some US government agencies (e.g., Bureau of Indian Affairs) and in historical documents.