twice-born

American  

[twahys-bawrn] / ˈtwaɪsˈbɔrn /

adjective

1. Hinduism. of or relating to members of the Indian castes of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaisyas, who undergo a spiritual rebirth and initiation in adolescence.

2. having undergone reincarnation.

3. born-again.

4. denoting any moral or religious experience that brings about a major reorientation of a person's character or personality.

---

Etymology

Origin of twice-born

1400–50, 1785–95 twice-born for def. 1; late Middle English: an epithet of Bacchus

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

twice-born

The collection’s French-born founders, John and Dominique de Menil, were observant Roman Catholics and also observant modernists — twice-born utopians, you might say, anti-extravagance, pro-transcendence.

From New York Times ● Nov. 29, 2018

Between her and the little twice-born son there was an unbreakable tie.

From The Creators A Comedy by Sinclair, May

The twice-born myth of Quivira, city of gold, which cost thousands of lives and hundreds of thousands of Spanish ducats, lives even to-day in remote neighborhoods of the southwest.

From The Book of the National Parks by Yard, Robert Sterling

Then gems and cates and robes displayed Before the twice-born priests were laid, That they would deign in order due To consecrate the king anew.

From The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse by Griffith, Ralph T. H. (Ralph Thomas Hotchkin)

They give the Rām and Gopāl Mantras, or the texts of Rāma and Krishna, to their disciples of the three twice-born castes, and the Sheo Mantra or Siva’s text to other castes.

From The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Volume II by Russell, R. V. (Robert Vane)