ENGLISH
REFERENCE

nirvana

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced US //nɝˈvɑnə// UK //nɜːvˈɑːnɐ// nir·vana Informal

n. a state or place of perfect happiness and peace where no problems exist. In some religions, it is the highest spiritual goal where life and death finally stop repeating.

n. the ultimate state of enlightenment in Buddhism and Hinduism, marked by the extinction of desire and the end of suffering. Often used in secular contexts to signify a superlative state of liberation, harmony, or bliss.


SIMPLE

The beach at sunset felt like total nirvana.

CONTEXTUAL

After months of stressful deadlines, sitting in a quiet garden with a book felt like pure nirvana to her.

COMPLEX

While many seek spiritual nirvana through meditative practice, others apply the term more loosely to any situation where physical comfort and mental quietude perfectly align with one's surroundings.

Synonyms
Origin

Borrowed from Sanskrit निर्वाण (nirvāṇa, “blown or put out, extinguished”), from निस् (nis, “out”) + वा (vā, “to blow”), the second part cognate with Russian ве́тер (véter, “wind”), weather, vent and wind.

Usage

Frequently used after 'pure', 'total', or 'absolute' to describe a state of mind or a physical location.

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