sudra: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Academic
Quick answer
What does “sudra” mean?
A member of the lowest caste in the traditional Hindu caste system.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A member of the lowest caste in the traditional Hindu caste system.
Historically, a social class in India assigned to manual labor and service.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage between British and American English.
Connotations
Neutral in academic contexts; may carry historical or cultural weight.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both variants.
Grammar
How to Use “sudra” in a Sentence
as a Sudraof the SudraVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used.
Academic
Common in anthropology, sociology, and history texts.
Everyday
Almost never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Used in discussions of caste systems and Indian society.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sudra”
- Often misspelled as 'Shudra'; pronunciation with /s/ instead of /ʃ/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both spellings are accepted, but 'Shudra' is more common in academic texts.
Historically, Sudras performed manual labor and service roles.
Yes, in historical and sociological contexts, but modern India has laws against caste discrimination.
It is pronounced /ˈʃuːdrə/ in both British and American English.
A member of the lowest caste in the traditional Hindu caste system.
Sudra is usually formal, academic in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Sudra sounds like 'shoe dra' – imagine a person polishing shoes, representing service.
Conceptual Metaphor
Often metaphorically used to represent servitude or lower social status.
Practice
Quiz
What is a Sudra?