Brahmin
[brah-min]
- Hinduism. Brahman1(def 1).
- (especially in New England) a person usually from an old, respected family who, because of wealth and social position, wields considerable social, economic, and political power.
- a person who is intellectually or socially aloof.
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- of, relating to, or characteristic of a Brahmin: the Brahmin attitudes of a true aristocrat.
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Origin of Brahmin
First recorded in 1475–85; variant of Brahman1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for brahmins
Contemporary Examples
First the Brahmins held on tightly to power, and then the Irish Catholics fought their way in.
Once a refuge for Brahmins looking to blow off steam, today the group is known for its campy puns and campier costumes.
Yet this time, a large number of victims belong to the swish set; the blasts have jolted these "Brahmins."
Historical Examples
The followers of Buddha and the Brahmins were in direct conflict.
Among Mohammedans and Brahmins we can still see them in their full vigor.
An Ethnologist's View of HistoryDaniel G. Brinton
The two highest castes were the Brahmins (or priests) and the warriors.
From Pole to PoleSven Anders Hedin
This was the united dictum of the Brahmins and astrologers of the day.
The Round Towers of IrelandHenry O'Brien
Christians, Mohammedans, and Brahmins, all hold them in equal veneration.
rminius Vambry, his life and adventuresrminius Vambry
Brahmin
- the older spelling of Brahman (def. 1)
- (in the US) a highly intelligent or socially exclusive person, esp a member of one of the older New England families
- an intellectual or social snob
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for brahmins
brahmin
n.
"member of Boston's upper class," 1823, figurative use of Brahman "member of the highest priestly Hindu caste," late 15c., from Sanskrit brahmana-s, from brahman- "prayer," also "the universal soul, the Absolute," of uncertain origin. Related to Brahma.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Brahmins
[(brah-minz)]
Note
The name is often given to socially or culturally privileged classes, such as “Boston Brahmins.”
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.