Buddha
noun
Prince Siddhāttha or Siddhartha, 566?–c480 b.c., Indian religious leader: founder of Buddhism.
Buddha
American
[boo-duh, bood-uh]
/ ˈbu də, ˈbʊd ə /
noun
-
Also called Gautama. Also called Butsu. Also called Goutama Buddha. Also called Goutama. Also called Gautama Buddha,. Prince Siddhāttha or Siddhartha, 566?–c480 b.c., Indian religious leader: founder of Buddhism.
-
any of a series of teachers in Buddhism, of whom Gautama was the last, who bring enlightenment and wisdom.
-
(sometimes lowercase) a person who has attained full prajna, or enlightenment; Arhat.
buddha
1
British
/ ˈbʊdə /
noun
-
Buddhism (often capital) a person who has achieved a state of perfect enlightenment
-
an image or picture of the Buddha
Buddha
2
British
/ ˈbʊdə /
noun
Etymology
Origin of Buddha
First recorded in 1675–85; from Sanskrit: “awakened” ( budh- “awaken, notice, understand” + -ta past participle suffix)
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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.
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She’s worked with them, lived with them and, for the last decade, has been raising them on her ranch, Smiling Buddha Yaks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
"When individuals take a pledge before a Buddha image, at a temple, or within their community, they feel bound to honour their word," she said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
The central and most prominent cave houses a Buddha sculpture from A.D.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
The Buddha, seeing him bruised, bloody, and weeping, smiles and tells him he must bear it.
From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2026
Pictures of men with many different styles hung from the wall—styles such as the Tyson, after the famous American boxer, in addition to the English Cut, the Nigeria, and the Buddha, which was totally bald.
From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba
His wife, Diane, added a buddha after Game 1 which seems to have worked.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2025
They also took screenshots of products offered for sale on Facebook, from elephant ivory bracelets and rings trimmed in 14-karat gold to intricate happy buddha ivory carvings, whole rhino horns, and tiger fang pendants.
From National Geographic ● Dec. 18, 2020
Her buddha bowls celebrate the versatility and simplicity of this modern instagram food trend, champion seasonal veg and the power of a good dressing!
From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2019
George Stephanopoulos, then a top White House adviser, later referred to Morris as “the dark buddha whose belly Clinton rubbed in desperate times.”
From Washington Post ● Jul. 21, 2016
Sitting like a starved and threadbare buddha, staring into the coals.
From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy
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.
