panchayat

noun

pan·​cha·​yat
variants or less commonly panchayet or punchayet
(ˌ)pənˈchäyət,
-chīət
plural -s
1
: a village council in India:
a
: a former group of five influential older men acknowledged by the community as its governing body
b
: an elective council of about five members organized in the republic of India as an organ of village self-government
2
: a Parsi council of six dasturs and ten mobeds regulating secular affairs

Word History

Etymology

Hindi pañcāyat, from Sanskrit pañca five

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Dictionary Entries Near panchayat

Cite this Entry

“Panchayat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panchayat. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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