What does "panchayat" mean?

A village council or local government.

How do you pronounce "panchayat"?

Pronounced //panˈt͡ʃʌɪət//.

Common synonyms include: council, decentralized governance, elder council, five member council, local council, local governance framework.

/panˈt͡ʃʌɪət/ noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
A village council or local government. India, South-Asia
"He called a panchayat of the village and asked them if they objected to having a mill go up next to their village."
2
a village council in India or southern Pakistan wordnet
3
An advisory council with limited powers under the absolute monarchy of 1961 to 1990. Nepal, historical

"He called a panchayat of the village and asked them if they objected to having a mill go up next to their village."

Borrowed from Hindi पंचायत (pañcāyat, “panchayat (originally a council of five)”).