Definition of raj
1 : rule; especially, often capitalized : the former British rule of the Indian subcontinent
2 : the period of British rule in India
People Are Reading
raj was our Word of the Day on 02/01/2010. Hear the podcast!
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Recent Examples of raj from the Web
-
Slovak Paradise National Park (also called Slovensky raj) is loaded with user-friendly amenities and covered with signage and hiker assists.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'raj.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
When British trading posts were established in the Indian subcontinent in the 17th century, English speakers were immersed in the rich languages of the region, and Europeans quickly began adopting local words into their own vocabularies. By the end of the 1700s, Hindi contributions to our language ran from ayah (a term for a nurse or maid) to zamindar (a collector of land taxes or revenues). When English speakers borrowed raj around 1800, they used exactly the same spelling and meaning as its Hindi parent (the Hindi word in turn traces to an older term that is related to the Sanskrit word for "king"). Other words of Hindi descent that are now common in English include chintz, pundit, bungalow, veranda, seersucker, and bandanna.
Origin and Etymology of raj
Hindi & Urdu rāj, from Sanskrit rājya; akin to Sanskrit rājan king
Learn More about raj
-
See words that rhyme with raj Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about raj
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up raj? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!