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mahatma
[ muh-haht-muh, -hat- ]
/ məˈhɑt mə, -ˈhæt- /
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noun (sometimes initial capital letter)
a Brahman sage.
(especially in India) a person who is held in the highest esteem for wisdom and saintliness.
(in Theosophy) a great sage who has renounced further spiritual development in order to aid those who are less advanced.
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Origin of mahatma
1850–55; <Sanskrit mahātmā, nominative singular of mahātman high-souled, magnanimous, equivalent to mahā- great + ātmanatman
OTHER WORDS FROM mahatma
ma·hat·ma·ism, nounWords nearby mahatma
maharanee, maharani, Maharashtra, maharishi, Mahasamadhi, mahatma, Mahatma Gandhi, Mahavira, Mahayana, Maha Yuga, Mahdi
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use mahatma in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for mahatma
mahatma
/ (məˈhɑːtmə, -ˈhæt-) /
noun (sometimes capital)
Hinduism a Brahman sage
theosophy an adept or sage
Derived forms of mahatma
mahatmaism, nounWord Origin for mahatma
C19: from Sanskrit mahātman, from mahā great + ātman soul
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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