Purdah is a custom practised in some Muslim and Hindu societies, in which women either remain in a special part of the house or cover their faces and bodies to avoid being seen by men who are not related to them. If a woman is in purdah, she lives according to this custom.
purdah in British English
or purda (ˈpɜːdə)
noun
1.
the custom in some Muslim and Hindu communities of keeping women in seclusion, with clothing that conceals them completely when they go out
2.
a screen in a Hindu house used to keep the women out of view
3.
a veil worn by Hindu women of high caste
4. informal
hiding or isolation
the Treasury is currently locked in pre-budget purdah
Word origin
C19: from Hindi parda veil, from Persian pardah
purdah in American English
(ˈpɜrdə)
noun
1.
the practice among some Hindus and Muslims of secluding or hiding women from strangers
2.
a curtain or partition used for this
3.
the section of a house reserved primarily for women
Word origin
Urdu & Hindi pardah, veil < Pers
Examples of 'purdah' in a sentence
purdah
You make it sound as though I'm in purdah ," she pro-tested, but she knew what he meant.