Dictionary.com

Hinduism

or Hin·doo·ism

[ hin-doo-iz-uhm ]
/ ˈhɪn duˌɪz əm /

noun

the common religion of India, based upon the religion of the original Aryan settlers as expounded and evolved in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad-Gita, etc., having an extremely diversified character with many schools of philosophy and theology, many popular cults, and a large pantheon symbolizing the many attributes of a single god. Buddhism and Jainism are outside the Hindu tradition but are regarded as related religions.

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Origin of Hinduism

First recorded in 1820–30; Hindu + -ism

Words nearby Hinduism

hindsight, hind tit, Hindu, Hindu-Arabic numeral, Hindu calendar, Hinduism, Hinduize, Hindu Kush, Hindus, Hindustan, Hindustani
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for Hinduism

British Dictionary definitions for Hinduism

Hinduism

Hindooism

/ (ˈhɪndʊˌɪzəm) /

noun

the complex of beliefs, values, and customs comprising the dominant religion of India, characterized by the worship of many gods, including Brahma as supreme being, a caste system, belief in reincarnation, etc
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

Cultural definitions for Hinduism

Hinduism

A religion of India that emphasizes freedom from the material world through purification of desires and elimination of personal identity. Hindu beliefs include reincarnation. (See Brahmins, pariah, Vishnu, and yoga.)

notes for Hinduism

Traditionally, Hinduism was linked to the caste system — a division of Indian society into several rigid groups, with members of a higher caste holding power over those of a lower.

notes for Hinduism

The sacred writings of Hinduism include the Vedas (which contain the Upanishads) and the Bhagavad Gita.
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.