n. & adj.
--n.
1. a a native or national of India. b a person of Indian descent.
2 (in full American Indian) a member of the aboriginal peoples of America or their descendants.
3 any of the languages of the aboriginal peoples of America.
--adj.
1. of or relating to India, or to the subcontinent comprising India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
2 of or relating to the aboriginal peoples of America.
Phrases and idioms:
Indian clubs a pair of bottle-shaped clubs swung to exercise the arms in gymnastics. Indian corn maize. Indian elephant the elephant, Elephas maximus, of India, which is smaller than the African elephant. Indian file single file. Indian hemp see HEMP 1. Indian ink Brit.
1. a black pigment made orig. in China and Japan.
2 a dark ink made from this, used esp. in drawing and technical graphics. Indian Ocean the ocean between Africa to the west, and Australia to the east. Indian rope-trick the supposed Indian feat of climbing an upright unsupported length of rope.
Indian summer
1. a period of unusually dry warm weather sometimes occurring in late autumn.
2 a late period of life characterized by comparative calm.
Etymology: ME f. India ult. f. Gk Indos the River Indus f. Pers. Hind: cf. HINDU