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
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for mahatma
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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