French Conversation · Level 27
90 words
French word
indien
Pronunciation
IPA/ɛ̃djɛ̃/
Meaning
- adjectiveIndian
Example
J'aime la musique indienne.
I like Indian music.
More examples
Il a acheté un livre sur la tradition indienne.
He bought a book about Indian tradition.
Core concept
A person or thing marked by an association with India, while historical French usage also applied the label to peoples in the Americas.
Common phrases
plat indien
Indian dish
tradition indienne
Indian tradition
danses indiennes
Indian dances
Similar words
asiatique: Relating to Asia or originating in Asia.
hindou: Relating to Hinduism, Hindu beliefs, or Hindus.
indigène: Native to a particular land and its original people or culture.
Definition in French
Relatif à l'Inde, à sa population, à sa culture ou à ses productions ; utilisé aussi comme nom pour désigner une personne d'Inde et, par extension historique, certains peuples d'Amérique.
Word origin
Indien developed from the place name India through Latin Indianus and Old French indien, and its secondary American meaning reflects the early European belief that the Americas were part of the Indies.
Usage tips
- In everyday French, indien usually follows the noun in phrases such as cuisine indienne, although fixed expressions can place it differently.
Other meanings
- Native Americannoun
Opposites
- occidentalWesternadjective
Related words
- indienIndiannoun
- indienneIndian womannoun