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.

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.

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

Other Word Forms

• karmic 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

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.

Read more on BBC

“This is who you are. Your ego was too big to believe you’d ever get caught, but karma comes around. It is your turn now to suffer.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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

Read more on 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.

Read more on Salon

I write in “American Scare” that “it’s as if the forces of justice and karma break and break upon the shores of Florida.”

Read more on Salon