Meanings
alternative Hindu-Kush · alternative Hindukush · alternative obsolete Hindoo-Kush · alternative obsolete Hindoo-Koosh · alternative obsolete Hindu-Coosh · alternative obsolete Hindoo Coosh
- A mountain range in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Synonyms: Hindu Koh
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounA mountain range in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Origin
- Classical Persianهِنْدُوکُش
- EnglishHindu Kush
Ultimately derived from Classical Persian هِنْدُوکُش (hindūkuš), the etymology of which is uncertain. * According to Ibn Battuta and popular etymology, from Classical Persian هِنْدُو (hindū, “Hindu”) + کُش (kuš, present stem of کُشْتَن (kuštan, “to kill”)), literally “Hindu-killer”. * According to others, a corruption of Classical Persian هِنْدُوکوه (hindūkōh), itself a compound of هِنْدُو (hindū, “Hindu”) + کوه (kōh, “mountain”), literally “mountain of the Hindus”, in which case the name would be related to the term Hindkowan used to describe people living near the region who speak Hindko. Attested in English from the 18th century.
More words from Classical Persian
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 興都庫什山脈 /兴都库什山脉, 縣度 /县度
- 興都庫什山脈 /兴都库什山脉 (Xīngdūkùshí shānmài)mountain range
- 縣度 /县度 (Xiànduó)mountain range
Czech Hindúkuš
- Hindúkušmountain range
Dari هندوکش
- هندوکش (hindūkuš)mountain range
Estonian Hindukuš
- Hindukušmountain range
Finnish Hindukuš
- Hindukušmountain range
German Hindukusch
- Hindukuschmountain range
Hindi हिन्दु कुश, हिन्दूकुश
- हिन्दु कुश (hindu kuś)mountain range
- हिन्दूकुश (hindūkuś)mountain range
Iranian Persian هندوکش
- هندوکش (hendukoš)mountain range
Italian Hindu Kush, Hindukush
- Hindu Kushmountain range
- Hindukushmountain range
Japanese ヒンドゥークシュ山脈
- ヒンドゥークシュ山脈 (Hindūkushu sanmyaku)mountain range
Latin Paropamisus, Paropanisus
- Paropamisusmountain range
- Paropanisusmountain range
Polish Hindukusz
- Hindukuszmountain range
Portuguese Hindu Kush, Hindukush
- Hindu Kushmountain range
- Hindukushmountain range
- Indocuchemountain range
Russian Гиндуку́ш
- Гиндуку́ш (Gindukúš)mountain range
Urdu ہِنْدُوکُش
- ہِنْدُوکُش (hindūkuś)mountain range
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with Hindu Kush
Cite this entry
Hindu Kush. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Hindu%20Kush
“Hindu Kush.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Hindu%20Kush. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Hindu Kush,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Hindu%20Kush.
Source: Hindu Kush on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.