karma

[ kahr-muh ]

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. Compare bhakti ( def 1 ), jnana.
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: predetermination, kismet, lot, 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.

karma

/ 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

Derived Forms

• ˈkarmic, adjective

Other Words From

• karmic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of karma¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of karma¹

C19: from Sanskrit: action, effect, from karoti he does

Example Sentences

Think of it as a frequent buyer program for personal karma, or a spiritual band-aid.

From The Daily Beast

Others have taken the stage to tell women to just work harder and trust in karma.

From The Daily Beast

Leaving the body consciously is a feat only a fully liberated master with no more karma can accomplish.

From The Daily Beast

Good luck and pray that Karma doesn't attach a Freddy Krueger like scarletletter to your entire body.

From The Daily Beast

It turns out I had some good karma the night of my SNL audition.

From The Daily Beast

Karma entered with her into the little guest-room where she was to dance and charged the very air with revelation.

From Project Gutenberg

There has been one working of karma so tremendous during the last year, that I will take it as an illustration—Spain.

From Project Gutenberg

Another great function of the Gods is the dealing with the karma of nations, "collective karma," as it is sometimes called.

From Project Gutenberg

Such was the karma made by Spain in the days of her glory, and the horror of her conquests sank into the oblivion of the past.

From Project Gutenberg

This also is true in a much more limited way with regard to the working of individual karma.

From Project Gutenberg