guru

[ goor-oo, goo-roo ]

noun

1. Hinduism. a preceptor giving personal religious instruction.
2. an intellectual or spiritual guide or leader.
3. any person who counsels or advises; mentor:

   The elder senator was her political guru.

4. a leader in a particular field:

   the city's cultural gurus.

guru

/ ˈɡʊruː; ˈɡuːruː /

noun

1. a Hindu or Sikh religious teacher or leader, giving personal spiritual guidance to his disciples
2. derogatory.
   a leader or chief theoretician of a movement, esp a spiritual or religious cult
3. facetious.
   a leading authority in a particular field

   a cricketing guru

guru

1. In Hinduism , a teacher or spiritual leader.

Notes

By extension, a “guru” is a teacher who attracts disciples or followers.

Derived Forms

• ˈguruˌship, noun

Other Words From

• guru·ship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of guru¹

1820–30; < Hindi gurū < Sanskrit guru venerable, weighty

Word History and Origins

Origin of guru¹

C17: from Hindi gurū, from Sanskrit guruh weighty

Example Sentences

Bed Bath & Beyond is also refreshing its store brands under Mark Tritton, the private brand guru who came to the company last autumn from Target.

From Fortune

Along the way, she'll be joined by a revolving cast of experts, including Scotland Yard detectives, medical examiners, weapons gurus and more.

From Ars Technica

Catering to the needs of the top tier has caused a steady flow of commissions and fees to rain upon the world’s top private bankers and wealth management gurus.

From Fortune

There are many aspiring gurus shilling advice, but there’s no single prescription as our jobs and living situations are vastly different.

From Quartz

There are a lot of gurus who are coming at it from a media buying perspective pedaling secret methods that can make you absurd returns and things like that.

From Digiday

The guru Rampal is in custody after a deadly battle at his ruined ashram.

From The Daily Beast

And yes, that authoritarian, patriarchal guru-power structure, invariably, always leads to abuses.

From The Daily Beast

And while guru literally means “teacher,” in Hindu and Buddhist contexts, it often means much more.

From The Daily Beast

Point one: It pits a best-selling management guru against a trendy yogurt company.

From The Daily Beast

Because, in what an ethics guru might call a “very real sense,” how is not a brand, it is reality.

From The Daily Beast

With Guru to lead them and point out passages through the swamp, they made speedy time in the boat.

From Project Gutenberg

As he hurried out of the ravine he saw Guru hastily helping his mate carry the child to a higher, safer cave.

From Project Gutenberg

Craig felt the weirdness of the scene as he and Guru started down the side of the mountain.

From Project Gutenberg

After disposing his force and ordering them to get as much rest as possible, Craig and Guru started down to the city of the Ogrum.

From Project Gutenberg

"Big rock cave," Guru answered, pointing toward the large stone temple that stood in the center of the city.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• master
• teacher
• tutor