Brahman
1 Americannoun
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Brahmans
plural
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Also a member of the highest, or priestly, class among the Hindus.
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Also the impersonal supreme being, the primal source and ultimate goal of all beings, with which Atman, when enlightened, knows itself to be identical.
noun
noun
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Also called (esp formerly): Brahmin. (sometimes not capital) a member of the highest or priestly caste in the Hindu caste system
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Hinduism the ultimate and impersonal divine reality of the universe, from which all being originates and to which it returns
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another name for Brahma 1
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of Brahman1
First recorded in 1475–85; from Sanskrit brāhmaṇa Brahman 1 ( for def. 1 ), brahman Brahman 1 ( for def. 2 )
Origin of Brahman2
1935–40; special use of Brahman priest
Explanation
A member of the highest social class in Hinduism is a brahman. The earliest brahmans were priests. For centuries on the Indian subcontinent, being born a brahman meant occupying a prestigious place in society. There was also religious significance to being a member of this elite caste, since brahmans were considered to be spiritually pure. In fact, for much of India's history, only brahmans were allowed to read and study religious scriptures. Brahman comes from Sanskrit, in which it means "prayer" or "the universal soul."
Vocabulary lists containing brahman
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Victoria’s Secret star Stam, 40, moved from the Big Apple to Maui during the pandemic, alongside her husband, Brahman Turner, and their two children.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 28, 2026
“I don’t know what happened to the 40 sheep, pigs and Brahman bull,” Deach said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2025
Following the development of Buddhism, how did changes in Brahmanism reduce the influence and prestige of the Brahman class as it evolved into Hinduism?
From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023
The supreme being from whom the universe emerged, Brahman, appears in the ancient sacred writings known as the Vedas without gender.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 8, 2022
This is more than Brahman with a serious case of stage fright.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
Thus the authority of elites such as the Brahmans was sanctified as reflecting the divine will of the cosmos.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023
Brahmans can better withstand the sun and are less susceptible to parasites than Angus, originally from Scotland and built with sturdy, low set black bodies made to survive harsh winters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2021
“Among Brahmans, it’s almost expected that you do white-collar jobs,” says Julie Sahni, the India native, chef and cookbook author who surrendered her career in architecture to pursue the culinary arts in the United States.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 15, 2020
The 10 Texas Brahmans flown out in late October will be bred with local cows to improve Vietnamese beef’s quality and quantity.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 4, 2017
Of or pertaining to the Brahmans or to their doctrines and worship.
From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (2nd 100 Pages) by Noah Webster
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
