desi

noun

de·​si ˈdā-sē  ˈde-sē 

variants or Desi

plural desis or Desis

see usage paragraph below

: a person of South Asian descent

especially : a person of South Asian ancestry who lives outside of South Asia

In the early 1990s, when I was 5 or so, I asked my parents if we were the only Indians in Atlanta. We knew other desis, but they were peripheral figures …

—Sanjena Sathian

Our folk religions and cultures, which millions of desis still practise, have never been defined by such quintessentially modern and narrow political oppositions as "Hindu" versus "Muslim."

—Pankaj Mishra and Ali Sethi

However one defines them, Desis are emerging as a decisive voting bloc.

—Jeet Heer

To gain a wider audience, films about Indian expatriates at times desperately resort to stereotyping desis …

—Aniruddh Chawda

Usage of Desi

Use of desi (or Desi) as a neutral or positive self-descriptor is common among people who identify as part of the South Asian diaspora, especially first-generation Americans of South Asian descent. The term is not universally accepted, however, as some believe it erases important distinctions between the many diverse cultures that make up such a large community. While not regarded as offensive, the use of desi/Desi as either an adjective or noun by those who do not identify as South Asian is rare. Instead, it is recommended that non-South Asian people use terms referring to specific cultural communities, regions, or nations.

Examples of desi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When Ceylon India Inn opened near Times Square in the early 1900s, the city’s first South Asian restaurant quickly became a hub for New York’s burgeoning community of desi (a term used to describe people of South Asian descent) dock workers, and students. —Sarah Khan, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Mar. 2026

This Pakistani-Indian restaurant opened on Milwaukee’s south side late last summer and is hosting its first iftar buffet with all-halal desi dishes from curry to dessert. —Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 24 Feb. 2026

Pakistani food is vastly underrepresented in the medium, often grouped under the umbrella of South Asian or Desi cooking. —The Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Dec. 2025

His solution to possible isolation in Wolverhampton has been to absorb local culture, including, a couple of weeks ago, the ‘desi pub’. —Steve Madeley, New York Times, 17 May 2025

Among the restaurants his family frequented was a place called Julio’s, in Artesia, south of L.A., which offered pizza with Indian toppings, and appetizers such as desi poppers and masala wings. —Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025

Arya Bhavan Arya Bhavan is a beloved vegan and gluten-free Indian restaurant located along Chicago’s desi corridor, Devon Avenue. —Amy Bizzarri, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025

And San Jose’s Sam and Curry offers a fresh take on the fast-casual dining trend with Chipotle-style bowls using classic Desi ingredients like saag and lentils. —Isha Trivedi, The Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2025

Besides references to desi pop culture, the game's soundtrack was made in collaboration with Nikhil Rao of Indian Ocean, an Indian fusion rock band. —Rahul Majumdar, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Hindi desī "person native to a region, inhabitant," noun derivative of desī "belonging to a region or locale, native, local, rural" — more at desi entry 2

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined above