# Urdu

/ɝˈdu/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/urdu
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. the language

noun · CEFR B2

a language spoken by millions of people in South Asia, especially in Pakistan and parts of India.

For teachers: the Indo-Aryan language that serves as the national language of Pakistan and an official language in several Indian states.

- She grew up speaking Urdu at home with her parents in Lahore.
- The poet was celebrated for his ability to weave complex philosophical themes into the traditional ghazal form of Urdu literature.

### 2. relating to the language

adjective · CEFR B2

describing something that belongs to or is written in the Urdu language.

For teachers: pertaining to the Urdu language, its literature, or its cultural heritage.

- The library has a large collection of Urdu poetry books.
- The professor specialized in Urdu linguistics, focusing on the historical development of the script from Persian and Arabic influences.

## Examples

- She speaks Urdu fluatively with her grandparents.
- The poet recited his latest work in Urdu, captivating the audience with the language's rhythmic and expressive qualities.
- While Urdu and Hindi are mutually intelligible in their spoken form, they diverge significantly in their written scripts and the literary traditions from which they derive their high-register vocabulary.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.