karma

American  

[kahr-muh] / ˈkɑr mə /

noun

1. Hinduism, Buddhism. action, seen as bringing upon oneself inevitable results, good or bad, either in this life or in a reincarnation: in Hinduism one of the means of reaching Brahman.

2. Theosophy. the cosmic principle according to which each person is rewarded or punished in one incarnation according to that person's deeds in the previous incarnation.

3. fate; destiny.

   Synonyms:

   kismet, lot, predetermination, predestination

4. the good or bad emanations felt to be generated by someone or something.

   Lets get out of here. This place has bad karma.

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karma British  

/ ˈkɑːmə /

noun

1. Hinduism Buddhism the principle of retributive justice determining a person's state of life and the state of his reincarnations as the effect of his past deeds

2. theosophy the doctrine of inevitable consequence

3. destiny or fate

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Other Word Forms

• karmic adjective

Etymology

Origin of karma

First recorded in 1820–30; from Sanskrit kárman- “act, deed”

Example Sentences

A high-school English teacher near Houston was fired after she wrote on Facebook that she thought karma played a role in Kirk’s death, according to the lawsuit.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Secret Service put an agent on immediate leave for a Facebook post that mentioned “karma.”

From The Wall Street Journal

But overall, Redford thought his beauty was more of a hindrance than a help to his career - and said karma had brought tragedy in his family life to punish him for his physical good fortune.

From BBC

"That would depend on his good karma. I can guide him, but I can't promise."

From BBC

There’s a karma to these places: donate well-loved, gently used items, and never use thrift or resale shops as a trash bin.

From Salon