hindu

hindu — noun

1. a person whose religion is Hinduism

1.nounB1
Definition

a person whose religion is Hinduism

Example

Gita's family are devout Hindus who visit the temple every Sunday.

noun referring to a person; collocation: devout Hindu

The procession brought together Hindus from different towns across the region.

preposition: Hindus from + place

Common collocations
  • devout Hindu
  • practising Hindu
  • Hindu community
  • Hindus believe
  • Hindus from
Synonyms
  • follower of Hinduism

    more explicit about the religious rather than cultural identity; used in formal or academic writing

Grammar Patterns

Hindu (noun) as subject or object

Usage Note

Hindu refers specifically to a follower of Hinduism, not to all people from India. Hinduism is the name of the religion; Hindu is the person who follows it.

Common Mistakes

Hindu is the religion she follows.
Hinduism is the religion she follows.
Hindu is a person; Hinduism is the name of the religion.
She is a Hinduist.
She is a Hindu.
Hinduist is extremely rare; the correct noun form is Hindu.

hindu — adjective

Word family

  • Hinduism
    nounB1
  • Hinduize
    verbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Hindu is the standard and most common term for a person who follows Hinduism. It is used in everyday conversation, news reporting, and academic contexts. Follower of Hinduism is a more formal, explicit phrase that leaves no ambiguity about the religious (rather than cultural or ethnic) identity; it is common in encyclopedias and comparative religion textbooks. Hinduist is rare and considered dated or scholarly — most native speakers would not use it. For example: 'A Hindu may worship at a local temple' sounds natural, while 'A Hinduist may worship at a local temple' sounds awkward and unfamiliar. Stick with Hindu for all practical purposes.

Hindu ↗follower of HinduismHinduist

Etymology

PersianSanskritEnglish

Hindu comes from the Persian word Hindū, which originally referred to people living near the Indus River (called Sindhu in Sanskrit). The term began as a geographical label for the inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent, and over centuries it shifted to describe followers of the religious traditions we now call Hinduism.