What does "indus" mean?
A major river in China, India and Pakistan, rising in Tibet and flowing into the Arabian Sea.
Indus
/ˈɪn.dəs/ name
name ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A major river in China, India and Pakistan, rising in Tibet and flowing into the Arabian Sea.
- Grammar: indus is listed as name.
- Nearest alternatives: bronze age culture, harappan artifact, harappan civilization, indus basin.
- Useful contrasts: industrial society, modern civilization.
- Usage evidence: Between 622 and 750, the Islamic Caliphate conquered the entire Arabian Peninsula, Mesopotamia, and North Africa, reaching the Indus river to the east, the Iberian Peninsula to the west, and the Black, Caspian, and Aral seas to the north.
How to use "indus"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "indus" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "indus" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "indus" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "indus" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "indus" is acting as name in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bronze age culture" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "indus", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Proper Noun
- 1 A major river in China, India and Pakistan, rising in Tibet and flowing into the Arabian Sea.
"The mighty Indus River that courses through Pakistan's second-most populous region is fed by dozens of mountain tributaries to the north, but many have burst their banks following record rains and glacier melt."
- 2 A constellation of the southern sky between Grus and Pavo.
- 3 A hamlet in Alberta, Canada.
Synonyms
All synonyms bronze age cultureharappan artifactharappan civilizationindus basinindus civilizationindus region
Antonyms
industrial societymodern civilization
Example
"Between 622 and 750, the Islamic Caliphate conquered the entire Arabian Peninsula, Mesopotamia, and North Africa, reaching the Indus river to the east, the Iberian Peninsula to the west, and the Black, Caspian, and Aral seas to the north."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "indus"?
Common synonyms include: bronze age culture, harappan artifact, harappan civilization, indus basin, indus civilization, indus region.
How do you use "indus" in a sentence?
Between 622 and 750, the Islamic Caliphate conquered the entire Arabian Peninsula, Mesopotamia, and North Africa, reaching the Indus river to the east, the Iberian Peninsula to the west, and the Black, Caspian, and Aral seas to the north.
How do you pronounce "indus"?
Pronounced /ˈɪn.dəs/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Latin Indus, from Ancient Greek Ἰνδός (Indós), from Old Persian 𐏃𐎡𐎯𐎢𐏁 (h-i-du-u-š /hiⁿduš/), from Proto-Iranian *hínduš (compare Avestan 𐬵𐬌𐬧𐬛𐬎 (hiṇdu)), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *síndʰuš or borrowed from Sanskrit सिन्धु (síndhu) (whence Sindh). Another explication relates the origin of Indus to Indra which itself derives from the root indu, i.e. " water place or water spirit".
Etymology 2
Named by Dutch explorers Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman between 1595 and 1597. From Latin Indus (“Indian”), commemorating American Indians.
Etymology 3
Clipping of industry.