A traditionally constructed settlement or neighborhood in South Asian (particularly Indian) contexts, often characterizing a densely populated urban area with modest housing.
From Hindi/Urdu 'bustī,' derived from Persian 'bast' (settlement, dwelling); entered English through colonial India where it was used to describe informal or working-class neighborhoods.
The word 'busti' embodies the complex legacy of colonial language, where English absorbed terms from the regions it colonized, and these words now carry cultural weight in describing urban life in South Asia.
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