Etymology From Middle English Indien, from Anglo-Norman indien, Middle French indien, corresponding to Ind + -ian or India + -an. Applied to inhabitants of the Americas due to an early misconception that the Americas were the eastern end of Asia / the Indies (hence also the designation of Caribbean islands as the West Indies).
1
Of or relating to India or its people; or (formerly) of the East Indies.
An IAF representative told an Indian parliamentary committee that due to the Ukraine war a “major delivery” from Moscow “is not going to take place.”2023 March 24, Rhea Mogul, “Russia can’t meet India arms deliveries due to Ukraine war, Indian Air Force says”, in CNN, archived from the original on 15 Jun 2024:
The morrow next apprear'd with purple hayre / Yet dropping fresh out of the Indian fount, / And bringing light into the heavens fayre […].1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
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Proscribed Of or relating to the indigenous peoples of the Americas.
The hardships of bark-collecting in the primeval forests of South America are of the severest kind, and undergone only by the half-civilized Indians and people of mixed race, in the pay of speculators or companies located in the towns.1879, Friedrich August Flückiger et al., Pharmacographia..., page 346:
Board games, Chess, Games Designating any of various chess openings now characterised by black's attempt to control the board through knights and fianchettoed bishops rather than with a central pawn advance.
Etymology From Middle English Indien, from Anglo-Norman indien, Middle French indien, corresponding to Ind + -ian or India + -an. Applied to inhabitants of the Americas due to an early misconception that the Americas were the eastern end of Asia / the Indies (hence also the designation of Caribbean islands as the West Indies).
[A]ll personnel are to be hereby ordered to refer to her as a "Kumiho," and not a "Kitsune." Personnel asking what the difference is are to be reminded of the difference between a Cherokee Indian and a New Delhi Indian.2025, collective, “SCP-953”, in SCP Foundation, archived from the original on 08 Jan 2026:
Young Indians looking for work opportunities have made up a sizeable portion of undocumented migrants in the US, many after making the dangerous trek through Latin America to reach the US southern border.2025 February 7, Esha Mitra, Aishwarya S Iyer and Ross Adkin, “‘Treated like criminals’: Shackling of Indians aboard 40-hour migrant flight sparks new outrage against Trump”, in CNN, archived from the original on 27 Feb 2025:
2
Proscribed An American Indian, a member of one of the indigenous peoples of the Americas (generally excluding the Aleut, Inuit, Metis, and Yupik).
We stigmatize the Indians, also, as cowardly and treacherous, because they use stratagem in warfare in preference to open force; but in this they are fully justified by their rude code of honor.1820 July, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Traits of Indian Character”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC:
High Jack had been drinking too much rum ever since we landed in Boca. You know how an Indian is—the palefaces fixed his clock when they introduced him to firewater.1909, O. Henry [pseudonym; William Sydney Porter], “He Also Serves”, in Options:
2 more examples
With savage desperation the Indian lunged his horse straight at Hopalong and, knife in hand, leaped for him!1951, Louis L'Amour, Rustlers of West Fork:
[A]ll personnel are to be hereby ordered to refer to her as a "Kumiho," and not a "Kitsune." Personnel asking what the difference is are to be reminded of the difference between a Cherokee Indian and a New Delhi Indian.2025, collective, “SCP-953”, in SCP Foundation:
3
Obsolete An indigenous inhabitant of Australia, New Zealand or the Pacific islands.
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Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of Indian cuisine.
Have you ever tried Indian?
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UK, Abbreviation, Colloquial, Ellipsis Ellipsis of Indian meal (“meal consisting of Indian cuisine”).
We're going out tonight for an Indian.
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UK, Abbreviation, Colloquial, Ellipsis Ellipsis of Indian restaurant (“restaurant serving Indian cuisine”).
We're going down to the Indian for a curry—wanna join us?
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Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of Mardi Gras Indian.
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A kind of marble (spherical toy) with colored bands on an opaque black base.