Patni

Patni is a term meaning wife in several Indian languages, most notably Hindi. It is the feminine form of pati, the word for husband, and together they describe the two spouses in a marriage. The term is widely used in everyday speech, literature, and media, as well as in traditional and religious contexts.

Etymology and usage: Patni comes from Sanskrit patnī, the feminine form of pati. In classical and modern texts, patni denotes a wife and is used in formal, legal, and narrative contexts. Depending on region and register, speakers may also use other words for wife, such as biwi or biwi in colloquial speech, but patni remains the standard term in formal or literary settings.

Cultural context: In Indian culture, discussions of marriage often employ patni to refer to the wife within the husband–wife relationship. The word appears in poetry, scripture translations, films, and social discourse, where it connotes not only the spouse but, by extension, marital duties and social status.

Other uses: Patni can also occur as a surname in India, used by people across different communities. As a surname, it is independent of gender and does not imply any specific occupation or caste.

In summary, patni is a neutral, formal term for wife rooted in Sanskrit, widely understood across Indian languages and contexts, and it also appears as a surname in some families.