The word "Bajaderes" is a plural noun that refers to a type of Indian sweet, made of condensed milk and coconut. It is often spelled as "bajjeyder" in India, but in English, it is most commonly spelled as "bajaderes". The pronunciation of this word is /bəˌdʒɑːdɛˈreɪz/ (buh-JAH-deh-rays). The "j" in "bajaderes" is pronounced like the "j" in "jam", while the long "a" sound in the second syllable is pronounced like "ay".
The word "bajaderes" is derived from the French term "bayadères", which was borrowed from the Hindi word "bhāṭṭerī" or "bhanda", meaning a female dancer or courtesan. The term became prominent during the British colonial era in India, referring specifically to dancers or women of the devadasi system, who were temple dancers or concubines associated with Hindu temples in southern India. Over time, the term "bajaderes" came to be used more broadly to refer to exotic or seductive female dancers, often associated with Orientalist fantasies and representations in Western culture, particularly in ballets and operas.