zenana

or za·na·na

[ zuh-nah-nuh ]
/ zəˈnɑ nə /

noun (in India)

the part of the house in which the women and girls of a family are secluded.
its occupants collectively.

Origin of zenana

1755–65; < Hindi < Persian zanāna, female, pertaining to women, adj. derivative of zan woman; cognate with Sanskrit jani woman, wife, Greek gynḗ, OCS žena, Old English cwēn woman, wife; see queen

Example sentences from the Web for zenana

British Dictionary definitions for zenana

zenana
/ (zɛˈnɑːnə) /

noun

(in the East, esp in Muslim and Hindu homes) part of a house reserved for the women and girls of a household

Word Origin for zenana

C18: from Hindi zanāna, from Persian, from zan woman