Bengali

noun

Ben·​gali ben-ˈgȯ-lē How to pronounce Bengali (audio)
beŋ-,
-ˈgä-
1
: a native or resident of Bengal
2
: the modern Indo-Aryan language of Bengal
Bengali adjective

Examples of Bengali in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Later, one with a Bengali flag, and another with the U.S. flag, led them onto the sidewalk as a candlelight vigil proceeded alongside the lake. Rey Covarrubias Jr., The Arizona Republic, 25 July 2024 Chickpea flour acts as a flavorful binder in these Indian corn fritters from British Indian chef Romy Gill, whose promotion of West Bengali cuisine has earned her status as a Member of the Order of the British Empire. Romy Gill, Saveur, 24 July 2024 The religious insufficiency became more apparent post-independence in events such as the secession of Bangladesh in 1971 where Muslims, who were in majority, were treated poorly by the Punjabi central government and denied their rights to co-exist as Muslim and Bengali. Nahal Sheikh, JSTOR Daily, 15 May 2024 The Bengali Religious Traditions That Transcend Gender The Baul and Fakir lineages understand the cosmos through pairs of opposite essences, including male and female. JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for Bengali 

Word History

Etymology

Hindi baṅgālī, from Baṅgāl Bengal

First Known Use

1762, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Bengali was in 1762

Dictionary Entries Near Bengali

Cite this Entry

“Bengali.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Bengali. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

Bengali

noun
Ben·​gali ben-ˈgȯ-lē How to pronounce Bengali (audio)
beŋ-
1
: a person born or living in Bengal
2
: the language of Bengal
Bengali adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Bengali

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!