namaste

American  

[nuhm-uh-stey] / ˈnʌm əˌsteɪ /

noun

1. a conventional Hindu expression on meeting or parting, used by the speaker usually while holding the palms together vertically in front of the bosom.

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namaste British  

/ ˌnʌməsˈteɪ /

interjection

1. a salutation used in India

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Usage

What does namaste mean? Namaste is a traditional Hindu greeting said with a hand gesture in which the palms are pressed together at the chest or head, accompanied by a slight bow or arm raise. In the West, it is commonly associated with yoga, and uses of namaste in this context is sometimes accused of being a form of cultural appropriation.

Etymology

Origin of namaste

First recorded in 1945–50; from Sanskrit: “hail,” literally, “(a) bow to thee”

Example Sentences

He needs to say namaste to India again.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

"Yes," Mamta Pathak replied, clasping her hand in a respectful namaste.

From BBC • Aug. 13, 2025

If you want, you can offer an alternative gesture of greeting, which could range from a fist bump, an elbow bump, a namaste gesture or the wai gesture of Thailand.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 1, 2021

Alabama lawmakers lifted a 30-year ban on yoga in public schools this week, though the phrase "namaste" is still prohibited.

From Fox News • May 22, 2021

The large one wobbled the standing up sign that said Kerala Tourism Development Corporation Welcomes You with a kathakali dancer doing a namaste.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy