name
Uncommon
Urdu
OOR-doo
Urdu (name) means an Indo-Aryan language, closely related to Hindi, spoken mainly in Pakistan and parts of North India. Example: “Urdu is written using a script derived from Persian and Arabic.”
name
1
An Indo-Aryan language, closely related to Hindi, spoken mainly in Pakistan and parts of North India.
"‘Urdu was born in the barracks a few hundred years ago, and was spoken by soldiers. It gets its grammar from Hindi, and vocabulary from Persian.’"
— Santanu Bhattacharya, One Small Voice (2023)
"Urdu is written using a script derived from Persian and Arabic."
adj
1
Relating to the Urdu language or its speakers.
"They watched an Urdu film with English subtitles."
How to use Urdu
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe national language of Pakistan, very close to Hindi in speech but written in a different script.
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_____ is written using a script derived from Persian and Arabic.
Etymology
From Persian and ultimately Turkic ordu, "army camp" — the language grew out of the speech used in military camps in Mughal-era India. It shares this root with the English word "horde."
Frequently asked questions
What does “Urdu” mean?
The word “Urdu” means an Indo-Aryan language, closely related to Hindi, spoken mainly in Pakistan and parts of North India. In plain terms, the national language of Pakistan, very close to Hindi in speech but written in a different script.
How do you pronounce “Urdu”?
“Urdu” is pronounced OOR-doo (/ˈʊəɹduː/ in IPA).
How do you use “Urdu” in a sentence?
Here is “Urdu” used in a sentence: “Urdu is written using a script derived from Persian and Arabic.”
What part of speech is “Urdu”?
Depending on how it is used, “Urdu” can be a name and an adjective.
Where does the word “Urdu” come from?
The word “Urdu” comes from Persian. From Persian and ultimately Turkic ordu, "army camp" — the language grew out of the speech used in military camps in Mughal-era India. It shares this root with the English word "horde.".
Is “Urdu” a common word?
“Urdu” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Urdu” have?
“Urdu” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an Indo-Aryan language, closely related to Hindi, spoken mainly in Pakistan and parts of North India.
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