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purdah

   Also found in: Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.03 sec.
pur·dah  (pûrd)
n.
1.
a. A curtain or screen, used mainly in India to keep women separate from men or strangers.
b. The Hindu or Muslim system of sex segregation, practiced especially by keeping women in seclusion.
2. Social seclusion: "Never have artists been more separate: their inordinate fame, wealth, drug use have driven them into luxurious purdah" (D. Keith Mano).

[Urdu pardah, veil, from Persian, from Middle Persian pardak, from Old Persian *paridaka-, from pari-d-, to place over : pari, around, over; see per1 in Indo-European roots + d-, to place; see dh- in Indo-European roots.]

purdah, purda [ˈpɜːdə]
n
1. (Non-Christian Religions / Hinduism) (Non-Christian Religions / Islam) the custom in some Muslim and Hindu communities of keeping women in seclusion, with clothing that conceals them completely when they go out
2. (Non-Christian Religions / Hinduism) a screen in a Hindu house used to keep the women out of view
3. (Non-Christian Religions / Hinduism) a veil worn by Hindu women of high caste
4. Informal hiding or isolation the Treasury is currently locked in pre-budget purdah
[from Hindi parda veil, from Persian pardah]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.purdahpurdah - a state of social isolation          
isolation - a state of separation between persons or groups
2.purdah - the traditional Hindu or Muslim system of keeping women secluded
separatism, segregation - a social system that provides separate facilities for minority groups
3.purdah - a screen used in India to separate women from men or strangers
screen - partition consisting of a decorative frame or panel that serves to divide a space
Translations
purdah [ˈpɜːdə] N (in India etc) → reclusión f femenina
to be in purdah (fig) → estar en cuarentena
purdah [ˈpɜːrdə] npurdah m
to be in purdah → être en purdah
purdah
n Vorhang vor den Frauengemächern im Islam und Hinduismus, → Purdah f; a woman in purdah (lit)eine Frau, die von (fremden) Männern ferngehalten wird; he keeps his wife (like a woman) in purdaher hält seine Frau von allem fern


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