zamindar

noun

za·​min·​dar ˈza-mən-ˌdär  ˈze- 

zə-ˌmēn-ˈdär

variants or zemindar

1

: a collector of the land revenue of a district for the government during the period of Mogul rule in India

2

: a feudal landlord in British India paying the government a fixed revenue

Examples of zamindar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the summer of 1781, Hodges accompanied Hastings to Benaras on a diplomatic visit to Chait Singh, the area’s zamindar, or landowner, who defaulted on an additional tax payment imposed by Hastings to fund the British army’s military campaigns. — Noor Anand Chawla, JSTOR Daily, 16 Apr. 2026

Set in a small village in southern India, the absurdist comedy follows Ramasamy, a chilli farmer with an uncontrollable sneezing problem who must survive under a tyrannical zamindar who has banned sneezing under penalty of death. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Aug. 2025

The cityscape included impressive marble edifices built by the British and palatial homes constructed by the rich merchants and zamindars (landowners). — Diya Kohli, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2024

Around Hyderabad in south-central India, many of the baolis were built by kings and zamindars. — The Economist, 13 July 2019

Word History

Etymology

Hindi & Urdu zamīndār, from Persian, from zamīn land + -dār holder

First Known Use

1683, in the meaning defined at sense 1