Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

parsi

/ˈpɑɹsiː/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.34 in modern English

Syllables
par-si
IPA
/ˈpɑɹsiː/
7
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A member of the larger and older of the two Zoroastrian communities of the Indian subcontinent (the other community being that of the Iranis).

adj

Of, or pertaining to, the larger and older of the two Zoroastrian communities of the Indian subcontinent.

adj

Persian.

noun

A Persian.

name

The Persian language.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Borrowed from Gujarati પારસી (pārsī), "as the Gujaratis, from long tradition, called anyone from Iran", in turn derived from Prakrit 𑀧𑀸𑀭𑀲 (pārasa), from Sanskrit पारसि (pārasi), पारसिक (pārasika), from Middle Persian 𐭯𐭠𐭫𐭮𐭩' (pʾlsy /Pārs/), from Old Persian 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿 (Pārsa). Also influenced by Classical Persian پَارْسِی (pārsī). The Indian term is attested many centuries prior to the arrival of the Parsis on the Indian subcontinent, and appears both for Iranians generally, as well as in the specific Iranian sense of Middle Persian pʾlsyk' (/⁠pārsī(k/g)⁠/, “of, or pertaining to, Persia proper"”) to refer to Sassanian kings, e.g. in the 4th-century Mahabharata. The Indian term is thus conventionally assumed to be ultimately a loanword from Middle Persian (or general Middle Iranian) pʾlsyk' (/⁠pārsī(k/g)⁠/, “of, or pertaining to, Persia proper"”). In colonial times, the term was also applied to the Portuguese, and by extension to Europeans in general. Older texts have Sanskrit पारसस्य (pārasasya, “Perso-Iranian”), etc. Other Iranian ethnonyms found in the Mahābhārata include पह्लव (pahlava), पह्नव (pahnava, “Parthian(s)”), शक (śaka, “(eastern) Scythian(s)”), बाह्लिक (bāhlika, “Bactrian(s)”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: 𑀧𑀸𑀭𑀲, पारसि, 𐭯𐭠𐭫𐭮𐭩', 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿, پَارْسِی, pʾlsyk'

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈpɑɹsiː/
  • British English: /ˈpɑːsiː/

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Parseeism: older terms for the religious beliefs and practices of the Parsis i.e. Zoroastrianism.

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce parsi?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈpɑɹsiː/.
What does parsi mean?
A member of the larger and older of the two Zoroastrian communities of the Indian subcontinent (the other community being that of the Iranis).
Where does parsi come from?
It is traced to Sanskrit.

How to pronounce parsi

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “parsi”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈpɑɹsiː/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “parsi”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “parsi” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.