mleccha

mlec·cha
M3L1E1C3C3H4A1
US, UK/məˈlɛ.tʃə/

noun

A foreign barbarian in ancient India.

“Near-synonym: barbarian”

Scrabble 16

Meanings

nounmleccha (plural mlecchas or mleccha)

plural mlecchas · alternative malech · alternative malechh · alternative maleech · alternative maleechh · alternative mlecca · alternative mlecch · alternative mlecchh · alternative mlecchha · alternative mlech · alternative mlecha · alternative mlechcha · alternative mlechchha · alternative mlechh · alternative mlechha · alternative obsolete mlec'ch'a

  1. derogatoryhistoricalA foreign barbarian in ancient India.
  2. derogatoryA foreigner; especially one who is not Hindu.

    Near-synonym: barbarian

Origin

Transliteration of Sanskrit म्ले॒च्छ (mlecchá). Doublet of Mech.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with mleccha

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

mleccha. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mleccha

MLA

“mleccha.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mleccha. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mleccha,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mleccha.

Source: mleccha on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.