What does "purdah" mean?
A curtain, especially one used in some Hindu or Muslim traditions to conceal women from the gaze of people, particularly men and strangers.
Purdah
/ˈpɜːdə/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A curtain, especially one used in some Hindu or Muslim traditions to conceal women from the gaze of people, particularly men and strangers.
- Grammar: purdah is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: canopy, cover, sex segregation, solitude.
- Usage evidence: As she passed through the dining-room she heard, behind the purdah that cloaked the drawing-room door, her husband's voice, […]
How to use "purdah"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "purdah" 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 "purdah" 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 "purdah" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "purdah" 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 "purdah" is acting as noun 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 "canopy" 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 "purdah", 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
Noun
- 1 A curtain, especially one used in some Hindu or Muslim traditions to conceal women from the gaze of people, particularly men and strangers. South-Asia, also, countable, figuratively
"As she passed through the dining-room she heard, behind the purdah that cloaked the drawing-room door, her husband's voice, […]"
- 2 a screen used in India to separate women from men or strangers wordnet
- 3 A long veil or other attire covering most of the body, worn by women in some Muslim societies. broadly, countable
- 4 the traditional Hindu or Muslim system of keeping women secluded wordnet
- 5 The situation or system of secluding women from the gaze of people, particularly men and strangers, in some Muslim and Hindu traditions, by using a curtain or screen, and/or wearing a face veil or attire covering most of the body. broadly, uncountable
"He was won by her love for him, by a loyalty that implied something more than submission, and by her efforts to educate herself against that lifting of the purdah that would come in the next generation if not in theirs."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 a state of social isolation wordnet
- 7 Keeping apart; isolation, seclusion; also, concealment, secrecy. broadly, figuratively, uncountable
"The diagnosis of Kit's malady was soon verified, and Fleur went into purdah."
- 8 The period between the announcement of an election or referendum and its conclusion, during which civil servants refrain from making policy announcements or taking actions that could be seen as advantageous to certain candidates in the election. UK, broadly, countable
"Despite Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris's reassurance that "the White Paper is coming" it was further delayed by the period of purdah that preceded local elections held on May 6."
- 9 A striped cotton cloth which is used to make curtains. broadly, obsolete, rare, uncountable
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"As she passed through the dining-room she heard, behind the purdah that cloaked the drawing-room door, her husband's voice, […]"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "purdah"?
Common synonyms include: canopy, cover, sex segregation, solitude.
How do you use "purdah" in a sentence?
As she passed through the dining-room she heard, behind the purdah that cloaked the drawing-room door, her husband's voice, […]
How do you pronounce "purdah"?
Pronounced /ˈpɜːdə/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Hindustani پردہ / पर्दा (pardā), and its etymon Classical Persian پرده (pardah, “curtain; screen; (archaic) veil”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- (“flat”).