Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Indian?

\In"di*an\ (?; 277), a. [From India, and this fr. Indus, the name of a river in Asia, L. Indus, Gr. ?, OPers. Hindu, name of the land on the Indus, Skr. sindhu river, the Indus. Cf. {Hindoo}.] 1. Of or pertaining to India proper; also to the East Indies, or, sometimes, to the West Indies. 2. Of or pertaining to the aborigines, or Indians, of America; as, Indian wars; the Indian tomahawk. 3. Made of maize or Indian corn; as, Indian corn, Indian meal, Indian bread, and the like. [U.S.] {Indian} bay (Bot.), a lauraceous tree ({Persea Indica}). {Indian bean} (Bot.), a name of the catalpa. {Indian berry}. (Bot.) Same as {Cocculus indicus}. {Indian bread}. (Bot.) Same as {Cassava}. {Indian club}, a wooden club, which is swung by the hand for gymnastic exercise. {Indian cordage}, cordage made of the fibers of cocoanut husk. {Indian corn} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Zea} ({Z. Mays}); the maize, a native of America. See {Corn}, and {Maize}. {Indian cress} (Bot.), nasturtium. See {Nasturtium}, 2. {Indian cucumber} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Medeola} ({M. Virginica}), a common in woods in the United States. The white rootstock has a taste like cucumbers. {Indian currant} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Symphoricarpus} ({S. vulgaris}), bearing small red berries. {Indian dye}, the puccoon. {Indian fig}. (Bot.) (a) The banyan. See {Banyan}. (b) The prickly pear. {Indian file}, single file; arrangement of persons in a row following one after another, the usual way among Indians of traversing woods, especially when on the war path. {Indian fire}, a pyrotechnic composition of sulphur, niter, and realgar, burning with a brilliant white light. {Indian grass} (Bot.), a coarse, high grass ({Chrysopogon nutans}), common in the southern portions of the United States; wood grass. --Gray. {Indian hemp}. (Bot.) (a) A plant of the genus {Apocynum} ({A. cannabinum}), having a milky juice, and a tough, fibrous bark, whence the name. The root it used in medicine and is both emetic and cathartic in properties. (b) The variety of common hemp ({Cannabis Indica}), from which hasheesh is obtained. {Indian mallow} (Bot.), the velvet leaf ({Abutilon Avicenn[ae]}). See {Abutilon}. {Indian meal}, ground corn or maize. [U.S.] {Indian millet} (Bot.), a tall annual grass ({Sorghum vulgare}), having many varieties, among which are broom corn, Guinea corn, durra, and the Chinese sugar cane. It is called also {Guinea corn}. See {Durra}. {Indian ox} (Zo["o]l.), the zebu. {Indian paint}. See {Bloodroot}. {Indian paper}. See {India paper}, under {India}. {Indian physic} (Bot.), a plant of two species of the genus {Gillenia} ({G. trifoliata}, and {G. stipulacea}), common in the United States, the roots of which are used in medicine as a mild emetic; -- called also {American ipecac}, and {bowman's root}. --Gray. {Indian pink}. (Bot.) (a) The Cypress vine ({Ipom[oe]a Quamoclit}); -- so called in the West Indies. (b) See {China pink}, under {China}. {Indian pipe} (Bot.), a low, fleshy herb ({Monotropa uniflora}), growing in clusters in dark woods, and having scalelike leaves, and a solitary nodding flower. The whole plant is waxy white, but turns black in drying. {Indian plantain} (Bot.), a name given to several species of the genus {Cacalia}, tall herbs with composite white flowers, common through the United States in rich woods. --Gray. {Indian poke} (Bot.), a plant usually known as the {white hellebore} ({Veratrum viride}). {Indian pudding}, a pudding of which the chief ingredients are Indian meal, milk, and molasses. {Indian purple}. (a) A dull purple color. (b) The pigment of the same name, intensely blue and black. {Indian red}. (a) A purplish red earth or pigment composed of a silicate of iron and alumina, with magnesia. It comes from the Persian Gulf. Called also {Persian red}. (b) See {Almagra}. {Indian rice} (Bot.), a reedlike water grass. See {Rice}. {Indian shot} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Canna} ({C. Indica}). The hard black seeds are as large as swan shot. See {Canna}. {Indian summer}, in the United States, a period of warm and pleasant weather occurring late in autumn. See under {Summer}. {Indian tobacco} (Bot.), a species of {Lobelia}. See {Lobelia}. {Indian turnip} (Bot.), an American plant of the genus {Aris[ae]ma}. {A. triphyllum} has a wrinkled farinaceous root resembling a small turnip, but with a very acrid juice. See {Jack in the Pulpit}, and {Wake-robin}. {Indian wheat}, maize or Indian corn. {Indian yellow}. (a) An intense rich yellow color, deeper than gamboge but less pure than cadmium. (b) See {Euxanthin}.
\In"di*an\ (?; 277), n. 1. A native or inhabitant of India. 2. One of the aboriginal inhabitants of America; -- so called originally from the supposed identity of America with India.