Lathi

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /lʌˈtiː/

Definitions

1. A sturdy long staff typically made of wood or bamboo utilized in some cultures for defense, law enforcement, or as a tool in various activities
2. A versatile instrument commonly wielded in martial arts, serving both as a weapon and a training aid
3. A long stick traditionally crafted from wood or bamboo used to protect oneself or maintain order

Etymology: The Hindi "lāṭhī" names a long wooden staff, and it has been carried into English largely in the setting where that staff is most associated: South Asian policing and crowd control. The English word refers to the same object, a heavy stick used as a weapon or as a tool of authority, and it was borrowed directly from Hindi rather than arriving through another European language. The story in English is therefore one of colonial contact. British officers and writers in India encountered the lathi as the standard instrument of police and security forces, and the term came back into English to describe it. The word therefore carries the flavour of a specific institution, not a general word for any stick.