mofussil
/məʊˈfʌs(ɪ)l/(also moffusil) Anglo-Indian
noun
Usually with the. Originally: those parts of India outside the three Presidency capitals of the East India Company (Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras); (more generally) those parts of India outside any of the large cities. In later use: the rural localities of a district of India as distinguished from its chief station or town.
- Used principally during or with reference to the period of British rule in India..
adjective
Of, relating to, belonging to, or living in the mofussil; remote, rural, provincial.
Origin
Late 18th century; earliest use found in Hicky's Bengal Gazette. From Urdu mufaṣṣil, variant of mufaṣṣal (adjective) separated, divided, (noun) subordinate division of a district from Persian mufaṣṣal (adjective and noun) from Arabic mufaṣṣal, passive participle of faṣṣala to divide up, set forth in detail, classify.