Word
swami
Phoneticsswa·mi
US/ˈswɑmi/
UK/swˈɑːmi/
Definition
n. a religious teacher or leader in the Hindu religion. People use this title to show respect for someone who has deep spiritual knowledge.
n. a title of respect for a Hindu religious teacher or ascetic who has been initiated into a religious order. Often used as a prefix before a name or as a direct form of address.
Examples
“The swami taught his students how to meditate.”
“After years of study in the monastery, he was given the title of swami by his teacher.”
“The visiting swami delivered a series of lectures on the ancient texts, attracting followers from across the country who sought his spiritual guidance.”
Examples
simple
“The swami taught his students how to meditate.”
contextual
“After years of study in the monastery, he was given the title of swami by his teacher.”
complex
“The visiting swami delivered a series of lectures on the ancient texts, attracting followers from across the country who sought his spiritual guidance.”
Usage
Often used as a title before a proper name, similar to 'Father' or 'Reverend'.
Real-World Examples
“He also had a deep interest in Eastern spiritualty, bringing “Swami” Satchidananda Saraswati to the US and helping him popularize yoga in the country.” “The Indian spiritual leader Swami Satchidananda sat cross-legged on stage at the Woodstock opening ceremony in 1969; it became a pivotal moment in the hippie folklore of the 60s.” Etymology
Borrowed from Hindi स्वामी (svāmī), from Sanskrit स्वामिन् (svāmín).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/swami