raj

noun

\ ˈräj

Definition of raj

1 : rule especially, often capitalized : the former British rule of the Indian subcontinent

2 : the period of British rule in India

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Did You Know?

When British trading posts were established in the Indian subcontinent in the 17th century, English speakers were immersed in the rich languages of the region, and Europeans quickly began adopting local words into their own vocabularies. By the end of the 1700s, Hindi contributions to our language ran from ayah (a term for a nurse or maid) to zamindar (a collector of land taxes or revenues). When English speakers borrowed raj around 1800, they used exactly the same spelling and meaning as its Hindi parent (the Hindi word in turn traces to an older term that is related to the Sanskrit word for "king"). Other words of Hindi descent that are now common in English include chintz, pundit, bungalow, veranda, seersucker, and bandanna.

Examples of raj in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The decline of the stepwell began with the British raj, which insisted baolis were unhygienic havens of vermin and disease. — The Economist, "India’s magnificent stepwells are relics of a nuanced history," 13 July 2019 The raj’s administrators were blind to their role in socialising and as subterranean caravanserais. — The Economist, "India’s magnificent stepwells are relics of a nuanced history," 13 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'raj.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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raj

Definition of raj

Did You Know?

Examples of raj in a Sentence

First Known Use of raj

History and Etymology for raj

raj

Definition of raj

Did You Know?

Examples of raj in a Sentence

First Known Use of raj

History and Etymology for raj

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