mahatma
[ muh-haht-muh, -hat- ]
/ məˈhɑt mə, -ˈhæt- /
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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Nearby words
maharanee, maharani, maharashtra, maharishi, mahasamadhi, mahatma, mahatma gandhi, mahavira, mahayana, mahayanist, mahdi
Origin of mahatma
1850–55; < Sanskrit mahātmā, nominative singular of mahātman high-souled, magnanimous, equivalent to mahā- great + ātman atman
Related formsma·hat·ma·ism, noun
Definition for mahatma (2 of 2)
Gandhi
[ gahn-dee, gan- ]
/ ˈgɑn di, ˈgæn- /
noun
In·di·ra [in-deer-uh] /ɪnˈdɪər ə/, 1917–84, Indian political leader: prime minister 1966–77 and 1980–84 (daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru).
Mo·han·das Kar·am·chand [moh-huh n-dahs kuhr-uh m-chuhnd] /ˌmoʊ hənˈdɑs ˌkʌr əmˈtʃʌnd/, Mahatma, 1869–1948, Hindu religious leader, nationalist, and social reformer.
Ra·jiv [rah-jeev] /rɑˈdʒiv/, 1944–91, Indian political leader: prime minister 1984–89 (son of Indira).
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for mahatma
British Dictionary definitions for mahatma (1 of 2)
mahatma
/ (məˈhɑːtmə, -ˈhæt-) /
noun (sometimes capital)
Hinduism a Brahman sage
theosophy an adept or sage
Derived Formsmahatmaism, noun
Word Origin for mahatma
C19: from Sanskrit mahātman, from mahā great + ātman soul
British Dictionary definitions for mahatma (2 of 2)
Gandhi
/ (ˈɡændɪ) /
noun
Indira (Priyadarshini) (ɪnˈdɪərə, ˈɪndərə), daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru. 1917–84, Indian stateswoman; prime minister of India (1966–77; 1980–84); assassinated
Mohandas Karamchand (ˌməʊhənˈdʌs ˌkʌrəmˈtʃʌnd), known as Mahatma Gandhi. 1869–1948, Indian political and spiritual leader and social reformer. He played a major part in India's struggle for home rule and was frequently imprisoned by the British for organizing acts of civil disobedience. He advocated passive resistance and hunger strikes as means of achieving reform, campaigned for the untouchables, and attempted to unite Muslims and Hindus. He was assassinated by a Hindu extremist
Rajiv (ræˈdʒiːv), son of Indira Gandhi. 1944–91, Indian statesman; prime minister of India (1984–89); assassinated
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for mahatma
mahatma
1884, literally "great-souled," from Sanskrit mahatman, from maha "great," from PIE root *meg- "great" (see magnate) + atman, "soul, principle of life," properly "breath" (see atman). In esoteric Buddhism, "a person of supernatural powers." In common use, as a title, a mark of love and respect. Said to have been applied to Gandhi (1869-1948) in 1915 by poet Rabrindranath Tagore.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper