panchayat
panchayet
orpunchayet
\(ˌ)pənˈchäyət, -chīət\Definition of panchayat
-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
From the M-W Editors
There's more!
Love words? You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.
Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:
- More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
- Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
- Advanced search features
- Ad free!
Origin and Etymology of panchayat
Hindi pañcāyat, from Sanskrit pañca five
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up panchayat? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!