pur·dah (pûr d )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
| Noun | 1. |  purdah - 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 [ˈpɜːrdə] n → purdah m
to be in purdah → être en purdah
to be in purdah → être en purdah
Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content.
| ?Page tools | ||
|---|---|---|
|