In the quest for Hindi words, it was noted that “randi” is a derogatory term for a “woman of ill repute”. The assumption was made that it may be the source of the English word “randy”, possibly due to Britain’s involvement in India.
English has adopted many words from Hindi such as “bungalow,” “cot,” “dinghy,” “loot,” “shampoo,” and “thug,” but “randy” is not one of them.
Although the Hindi word रंडी and the English word “randy” sound alike and both have sexual connotations, they are not etymologically related.
Words that are etymologically related are known as “cognates”, while those that appear related but are not, like रंडी and “randy”, are called “false cognates”.
For example, the anatomical “ear” and the “ear” of corn are false cognates derived from different Old English words.
There is no authoritative etymological reference suggesting that the Hindi term रंडी is the origin of the English adjective “randy”.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “randy” likely comes from the verb “rant”, which previously had the variant spelling “rand”.
The OED states that “rant” or “rand” used to mean “to lead a riotous or dissolute life”.
The earliest OED citation for “rant” in its riotous sense is from Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor (1623).
The dictionary indicates that “randy” first appeared in Scottish English with the meaning of “having a rude, aggressive manner; loud-mouthed and coarsely spoken”.
In the early 18th century, “randy” evolved to mean “boisterous, riotous, disorderly; wild, unruly, unmanageable” in Scottish English and regional English dialects.
By the late 18th century, “randy” took on its modern sense of “lustful; eager for sexual gratification; sexually aroused” in Scottish and regional English.
There is no evidence to suggest that “randy” originates from Hindi, such as documented use in English correspondence or ship logs from visits to India in the 17th or 18th century.
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