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• Buddha
  Buddha

  noun

  Prince Siddhāttha or Siddhartha, 566?–c480 b.c., Indian religious leader: founder of Buddhism.
• buddha
  buddha

  noun

  Buddhism (often capital) a person who has achieved a state of perfect enlightenment

Buddha

American  

[boo-duh, bood-uh] / ˈbu də, ˈbʊd ə /

noun

1. Also called Gautama, Butsu, Goutama Buddha, Goutama, Gautama Buddha. Prince Siddhāttha or Siddhartha, 566?–c480 b.c., Indian religious leader: founder of Buddhism.

2. any of a series of teachers in Buddhism, of whom Gautama was the last, who bring enlightenment and wisdom.

3. (sometimes lowercase) a person who has attained full prajna, or enlightenment; Arhat.

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buddha ¹ British  

/ ˈbʊdə /

noun

1. Buddhism (often capital) a person who has achieved a state of perfect enlightenment

2. an image or picture of the Buddha

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Buddha ² British  

/ ˈbʊdə /

noun

1. ?563–483 _bc , a title applied to Gautama Siddhartha, a nobleman and religious teacher of N India, regarded by his followers as the most recent rediscoverer of the path to enlightenment: the founder of Buddhism

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Etymology

Origin of Buddha

First recorded in 1675–85; from Sanskrit: “awakened” ( budh- “awaken, notice, understand” + -ta past participle suffix)

Compare meaning

How does buddha compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Bodhisattva vs. Buddha

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Buddha buddha

The herd at Smiling Buddha Yaks thrives in Colorado’s alpine climate.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026

Manjusri, with a calm smile, gently raises his hand to counter that the true nonmaterial essence of the Buddha can never be comprehended before transcending the material world.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

The Buddha, seeing him bruised, bloody, and weeping, smiles and tells him he must bear it.

From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2026

One depicts the Buddha scrolling on a smart phone.

From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026

“Only persons really changed history those who changed men’s thinking about themselves. Hitler as well as Jesus, Stalin as well as Buddha . . . Hon. Elijah Muhammad. ...”

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

His wife, Diane, added a buddha after Game 1 which seems to have worked.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2025

The link between the sokushinbutsu and sacred mountains remains a through line in becoming a living buddha.

From National Geographic ● Jan. 19, 2024

Her buddha bowls celebrate the versatility and simplicity of this modern instagram food trend, champion seasonal veg and the power of a good dressing!

From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2019

Or at least a buddha with dreadlocks and diamanté-rimmed sunglasses.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 13, 2017

With all the cousins getting ready for the festivities, he was probably still sitting on his bed like a buddha, waiting for a pair of feet.

From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord