vaisya Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a member of the mercantile and professional Hindu caste; the third of the four main castes
  2. noun the third of the four varnas: the commoners or yeoman farmers or mercantile and professional category

WordNet

Vais"ya noun
Etymology
Skr. vai&cced;ya.
Definitions
  1. The third of the four great original castes among the Hindoos, now either extinct or partially represented by the mercantile class of Banyas. See the Note under Caste, 1.

Webster 1913