ahimsa
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of ahimsa
First recorded in 1830–35; from Sanskrit ahiṁsā “noninjury,” equivalent to a- privative suffix (cognate with Greek a- ) + hiṁsā injury, derivative of hánti “(he) slays,” Greek phónos “murder”; see origin at a- 6
Explanation
Ahimsa is an ancient spiritual concept that began in India and centers around avoiding all forms of violence and respecting all living things. The principle of ahimsa first appeared in the 4,000-year-old Indian spiritual and philosophical beliefs known as the Vedas. Many religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism have since adopted ahimsa as part of their core virtues. In Sanskrit, the word means "without injury," and it's commonly translated in English as "nonviolence." Ahimsa involves doing the least amount of harm you can to humans and other beings.
Vocabulary lists containing ahimsa
World Religions
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2015 Spelling Bee - Words from Round 3
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Early Civilizations of India, Lessons 1–4
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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.
Lawson and Lal often discussed Gandhi’s conception of ahimsa, the Sanskrit word for nonviolence.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2024
On a metaphysical level, ahimsa is connected with karma—the causal law that links causes to effects, even across lifetimes.
From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022
The doctrine of ahimsa, or non- harming—a key idea in Indian philosophy and religion—constrains how one may disobey the government and even governs all interactions in the process of nonviolent noncooperation with the government.
From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022
What role does the concept of ahimsa play in politics, according to Gandhi?
From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022
It is firmly based on the Hindu idea of ahimsa, and hence avoids physical violence.
From Introduction to Non-Violence by Paullin, Theodore
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.
