Buddha
[ boo-duh, bood-uh ]
/ ˈbu də, ˈbʊd ə /
Save This Word!
noun
Prince Siddhāttha or Siddhartha, 566?–c480 b.c., Indian religious leader: founder of Buddhism. Also called But·su [boot-soo, boot-; Japanese boo-tsoo], /ˈbʊt su, ˈbut-; Japanese ˈbu tsʊ/, Gau·ta·ma [gaw-tuh-muh, gou-], /ˈgɔ tə mə, ˈgaʊ-/, Gautama Buddha, Gou·ta·ma [gaw-tuh-muh, goh-], /ˈgɔ tə mə, ˈgoʊ-/, Gou·ta·ma Buddha .
any of a series of teachers in Buddhism, of whom Gautama was the last, who bring enlightenment and wisdom.
(sometimes lowercase)Buddhism. a person who has attained full prajna, or enlightenment; Arhat.
QUIZZES
THINK YOU’VE GOT A HANDLE ON THIS US STATE NICKNAME QUIZ?
Did you ever collect all those state quarters? Put them to good use on this quiz about curious state monikers and the facts around them.
Question 1 of 8
Mississippi’s nickname comes from the magnificent trees that grow there. What is it?
Origin of Buddha
First recorded in 1675–85; from Sanskrit: “awakened” (budh- “awaken, notice, understand” + -ta past participle suffix)
Words nearby Buddha
Bucyrus, bud, Buda, Budapest, Budd-Chiari syndrome, Buddha, Buddhahood, Buddh Gaya, buddhi, Buddhism, Buddhology
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for Buddha
British Dictionary definitions for Buddha (1 of 2)
buddha
/ (ˈbʊdə) /
noun
Buddhism (often capital) a person who has achieved a state of perfect enlightenment
an image or picture of the Buddha
Word Origin for buddha
C17: from Sanskrit: awakened, enlightened, from budh to awake, know
British Dictionary definitions for Buddha (2 of 2)
Buddha
/ (ˈbʊdə) /
noun
the Buddha ?563–483 bc, a title applied to Gautama Siddhartha, a nobleman and religious teacher of N India, regarded by his followers as the most recent rediscoverer of the path to enlightenment: the founder of Buddhism
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