बनिया

Awadhi

Etymology

Inherited from Prakrit 𑀯𑀡𑀺𑀅 (vaṇia) + Middle Indo-Aryan -𑀓- (-ka-), from Sanskrit वणिज (vaṇija), a variant of वणिज् (vaṇij). Cognate with Hindi बनिया (baniyā).

Noun

बनिया (baniyā) m

1. bania, merchant

Derived terms

• बनियई (baniyaī)

References

• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “baniyā”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 655

Hindi

Alternative forms

• बणिया (baṇiyā)

Etymology

Inherited from Prakrit 𑀯𑀡𑀺𑀅 (vaṇia) + Middle Indo-Aryan -𑀓- (-ka-), from Sanskrit वणिज (vaṇija), a variant of वणिज् (vaṇij). Cognate with Awadhi बनिया (baniyā), Bhojpuri 𑂥𑂢𑂱𑂨𑂰 (baniyā), Nepali बनिया (baniyā), Punjabi ਬਨਯਾ (banyā).

Pronunciation

• (Delhi) IPA^(key): /bə.nɪ.jɑː/, [bɐ.ni.jäː]

Noun

बनिया • (baniyā) m (Urdu spelling بَنِیا)

1. bania (a member of business or merchantly varna in Hindu society)

   Synonyms: वैश्य (vaiśya), वणिक् (vaṇik)

2. a merchant; shopkeeper

   Synonyms: व्यापारी (vyāpārī), वणिक् (vaṇik)

3. (figurative) a miser

Declension

Declension of बनिया (masc ā-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	बनिया baniyā	बनिए, बनिये banie, baniye
oblique	बनिए, बनिये banie, baniye	बनियों baniyõ
vocative	बनिए, बनिये banie, baniye	बनियो baniyo

Descendants

• → English: bunnia

Further reading

• McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993) “बनिया”, in The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, London: Oxford University Press, page 706
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “baniyā”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 655
• “बनिया”, in ریخْتَہ لُغَت (rexta luġat) - Rekhta Dictionary [Urdu dictionary with meanings in Hindi & English], Noida, India: Rekhta Foundation, 2024.