India

UK: /ˈɪndiə/ US: (in′dē ə)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

In•di•a  (in′dē ə), n. 

1. Place Names Hindi, Bharat. a republic in S Asia: a union comprising 25 states and 7 union territories;
   formerly a British colony;
   gained independence Aug. 15, 1947;
   became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations Jan. 26, 1950. 967,612,804;
   1,246,880 sq. mi. (3,229,419 sq. km). Cap.: New Delhi.
2. Place Names a subcontinent in S Asia, occupied by Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Republic of India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sikkim.

• Old Persian Hindu literally, the river; cognate with Sanskrit sindhu) + -ia -ia
• Greek Indía, equivalent. to Ind(ós) the Indus river (
• Latin

In•di•a  (in′dē ə), n. 

1. a word used in communications to represent the letter
   I.

• 1950–55

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

India / ˈɪndɪə/ noun

1. a republic in S Asia: history dates from the Indus Valley civilization (3rd millennium bc); came under British supremacy in 1763 and passed to the British Crown in 1858; nationalist movement arose under Gandhi (1869–1948); Indian subcontinent divided into Pakistan (Muslim) and India (Hindu) in 1947; became a republic within the Commonwealth in 1950. It consists chiefly of the Himalayas, rising over 7500 m (25 000 ft) in the extreme north, the Ganges plain in the north, the Thar Desert in the northwest, the Chota Nagpur plateau in the northeast, and the Deccan Plateau in the south. Official and administrative languages: Hindi and English; each state has its own language. Parts of the SE coast suffered badly in the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. Religion: Hindu majority, Muslim minority. Currency: rupee. Capital: New Delhi. Pop: 1 339 180 127 (2017 est). Area: 3 268 100 sq km (1 261 813 sq miles)
   Hindi name: Bharat
2. a code word for the letter i