English Explanatory Dictionary

Hindu Kush

English dictionary entry

Meanings

name
  1. A mountain range in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Pronunciation

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Sumxr-Hindu Kush.wav

Word forms

Hindu Kush Hindu-Kush Hindukush Hindoo-Kush Hindoo-Koosh Hindu-Coosh Hindoo Coosh

Etymology

Ultimately derived from Classical Persian هِنْدُوکُش (hindūkuš), the etymology of which is uncertain. * According to Ibn Battuta and popular etymology, from Classical Persian هِنْدُو (hindū, “Hindu”) + کُش (kuš, present stem of کُشْتَن (kuštan, “to kill”)), literally “Hindu-killer”. * According to others, a corruption of Classical Persian هِنْدُوکوه (hindūkōh), itself a compound of هِنْدُو (hindū, “Hindu”) + کوه (kōh, “mountain”), literally “mountain of the Hindus”, in which case the name would be related to the term Hindkowan used to describe people living near the region who speak Hindko. Attested in English from the 18th century.

Synonyms

Hindu Koh
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