# Indian

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈɪn.dɪ.ən/ · frequency rank #1,309

## Definitions
1. Of or relating to India or its people; or (formerly) of the East Indies.
2. Eastern; Oriental.
3. Of or relating to the indigenous peoples of the Americas.
4. Made with Indian corn or maize.
5. Designating any of various chess openings now characterised by black's attempt to control the board through knights and fianchettoed bishops rather than with a central pawn advance.

## Etymology
From Anglo-Norman indien, Middle French indien, corresponding to Ind + -ian or India + -an. Applied to inhabitants of the Americas due to an early misconception that the Americas were the eastern end of Asia / the Indies (hence also the designation of Caribbean islands as the West Indies).

## Easily confused with
- **indie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/indian-vs-indie)
- **Indra** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/indian-vs-indra)
- **Inman** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/indian-vs-inman)
- **indio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/indian-vs-indio)
- **Indies** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/indian-vs-indies)
- **indigo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/indian-vs-indigo)
- **Indira** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/indian-vs-indira)
- **indica** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/indian-vs-indica)
- **indict** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/indian-vs-indict)
- **Ionian** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/indian-vs-ionian)
- **Indiana** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/indian-vs-indiana)
- **Indi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/indi-vs-indian)
- **India** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/india-vs-indian)

## Common misspellings (8)
`idnian`, `indain`, `inddian`, `indiann`, `indina`, `inidan`, `inndian`, `nidian`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/indian