nirvana

[ nir-vah-nuh, -van-uh, ner- ]

noun

1. (often initial capital letter) Pali nibbana. Buddhism. freedom from the endless cycle of personal reincarnations, with their consequent suffering, as a result of the extinction of individual passion, hatred, and delusion: attained by the Arhat as his goal but postponed by the Bodhisattva.
2. (often initial capital letter) Hinduism. salvation through the union of Atman with Brahma; moksha.
3. a place or state characterized by freedom from or oblivion to pain, worry, and the external world.

nirvana

/ nɪəˈvɑːnə; nɜː- /

noun

1. Buddhism Hinduism final release from the cycle of reincarnation attained by extinction of all desires and individual existence, culminating (in Buddhism) in absolute blessedness, or (in Hinduism) in absorption into Brahman

nirvana

1. In Buddhism , the highest state of consciousness, in which the soul is freed from all desires and attachments. Nirvana is sometimes inaccurately used as a synonym for heaven or paradise .

Derived Forms

• nirˈvanic, adjective

Other Words From

• nir·vanic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nirvana¹

First recorded in 1830–40, nirvana is from the Sanskrit word nirvāṇa

Word History and Origins

Origin of nirvana¹

C19: from Sanskrit: extinction, literally: a blowing out, from nir- out + vāti it blows

Example Sentences

I spent two more weeks trying to achieve the nirvana of balance I had been told awaited me, but it never happened.

From Outside Online

As for selling out, the concept officially began eating our brains shortly after the supernova of Nirvana.

From Washington Post

I’ve detailed what it takes to visit this overland nirvana before.

From Outside Online

At a glance, iAd seemed like the mobile equivalent of nirvana.

From Digiday

The Seattle scene became famous and the major music labels began an obsessive search for the next Nirvana.

From Washington Post

When I was growing up they called Green Day and Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins “alternative pop.”

From The Daily Beast

A mixtape dubbed “Montage of Heck” has surfaced on the site Live Nirvana!

From The Daily Beast

Part of the short version was used as an intro to the Nirvana single “Love Buzz,” and is referred to as “Buzz Cut.”

From The Daily Beast

Gone were female-led and feminist-sympathetic bands like Nirvana and the Beastie Boys.

From The Daily Beast

For Nicki Minaj, nirvana could only be reached when all of the world knew exactly what her butt looks like.

From The Daily Beast

The religion of Buddha is founded on a correct and virtuous life, as the only way to avoid sorrow and reach Nirvana.

From Project Gutenberg

John Smith was peculiar, but he was the best bass man this side of a musician's Nirvana.

From Project Gutenberg

It would be a Nirvana glorious only in the absence of sorrow, but still perhaps a happy ending for our race.

From Project Gutenberg

It is asserted that Siddartha did not believe in a god, and that his Nirvana was nothing more than absolute annihilation.

From Project Gutenberg

Health is the greatest of gifts, contentedness the best riches; trust is the best of relatives, Nirvana the highest happiness.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• heaven