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Indo-Aryan

Indo-Aryan

9.6
Relating to languages or cultures of a South Asian language group like Hindi and Bengali
  • adjective
translation icon : indoario
  • The Indo-Aryan languages are a major branch of the wider Indo-European family.
  • Indo-Aryan warrior

Examples

  • Many cultural practices in northern India have roots in Indo-Aryan heritage.

  • He also recognized Indo-Aryan, Mongoloid, and Negroid elements, assessments based on typecasting rather than on measurement.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Others seemed Indo-Aryan, Vedda, Melanesian-Negroid, Australian, Indian, Eskimo, or Semitic.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Besides this Indo-Aryan influence, an element of southern India, called Vedda, was also seen as part of the racial makeup of the archipelago and conceptualized with features such as dark skin and wavy hair.

    Academic text (2018)
  • The ancient texts describe the traditions of the Indo-Aryan people who settled in South Asia.

Synonyms

Indic
vsIndo-Aryan
7.5

Relating to the languages, people, and culture of India and nearby countries

is narrower, naming the specific linguistic branch within that region

Surface Forms

Indo-Aryan positive

Morphology

Indo-Aryan = Aryan (transparent) = Indo + Aryan

The form is directly compositional: 'Indo-' (Indian) + 'Aryan' yields an adjective meaning relating to the Aryan peoples/languages of South Asia.

Etymology

Indo-Aryan joins Indo- (from 'India') and Aryan, from an old Indian word arya meaning 'noble' that people once used for themselves. So, Indo-Aryan describes the peoples, languages, and cultures that began in South Asia.