stupa

[ stoo-puh ]

/ ˈstu pə /

Save This Word!

noun

a monumental pile of earth or other material, in memory of Buddha or a Buddhist saint, and commemorating some event or marking a sacred spot.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of stupa

First recorded in 1875–80, stupa is from the Sanskrit word stūpa

Words nearby stupa

stunt, stunted, stunt man, stunt person, stunt woman, stupa, stupe, stupefacient, stupefaction, stupefactive, stupefy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use stupa in a sentence

Now, preliminary results show that an automated system can erect an ice stupa while avoiding frozen pipes, using local weather data to control when and how much water is spouted.
How to build better ice towers for drinking water and irrigation|Nikk Ogasa|July 6, 2022|Science News
Automation could help communities build larger, longer-lasting ice stupas that provide more water during dry periods, he says.
How to build better ice towers for drinking water and irrigation|Nikk Ogasa|July 6, 2022|Science News
In 2019, two more shangdongs were dismantled and a stupa was built in Rumtse, near the shangdong where Sonam had joined other villagers as a child to stone a wolf.
Where Shepherds Save Wolves — Thanks to Buddhism|Charu Kasturi|March 10, 2021|Ozy
It’s a memory that haunts Sonam, who is now a community leader working with conservationists and villagers to replace shandgdongs with stupas — an approach that’s gathering steam.
Where Shepherds Save Wolves — Thanks to Buddhism|Charu Kasturi|March 10, 2021|Ozy

The usual manis lie along the road, and a large red chhorten or stupa has a touch of the Indian style.
Trans-Himalaya, Vol. 2 (of 2)|Sven Hedin
A small circular stupa was discovered cut out of solid rock below the ground level.
The Gates of India|Thomas Holdich
The word stupa has now become corrupted into tope, by which word you will find it designated by modern writers on India.
Sagas from the Far East|Various
In the country of Rma there stood a brick stupa or tower, about a hundred feet high, in the time of Hiuen-Tsiang.
Human Animals|Frank Hamel
The stupa constantly emitted rays of glory, and by the side of it was a Naga tank.
Human Animals|Frank Hamel

British Dictionary definitions for stupa

stupa

/ (ˈstuːpə) /

noun

a domed edifice housing Buddhist or Jain relicsAlso called: tope

Word Origin for stupa

C19: from Sanskrit: dome

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