suttee
Americannoun
noun
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the former Hindu custom whereby a widow burnt herself to death on her husband's funeral pyre
-
a Hindu widow who immolated herself in this way
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of suttee
C18: from Sanskrit satī virtuous woman, from sat good
Vocabulary lists containing suttee
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Suttee, the old Hindu custom of widow's suicide on the funeral pyre, has been banned in India since 1829; today it occurs rarely and then only in inaccessible villages in backward regions.
From Time Magazine Archive
Mr. Capes granted the widow, but declared he had never seen the pamphlet in favour of Suttee, and disbelieved in it.
From The Egoist by Meredith, George
He hastens hack to Benares; and when near the city, hears two merchants, in conversation, remark that the Omrah is dead, and that his widow was the next day to perform the Suttee.
From A Voyage to the Moon by Tucker, George
Rammohan Roy, a great opponent of Suttee and Idolatry, who also dared to make the voyage to England.
From New Ideas in India During the Nineteenth Century A Study of Social, Political, and Religious Developments by Morrison, John
Frequent instances are found in Bengal; and whenever a case comes to the notice of the public the newspapers report it in a manner which shows that respect for the Suttee is not yet dead.
From Indian Ghost Stories Second Edition by Mukerji, S.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
