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

Then all the twice-born peers of state Together met for high debate.

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

Then he, of twice-born men the best, His glad assent at once expressed: “Fain will I do whate'er may be Desired, O honoured King, by thee.”

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

The peacocks danced, the bees buzzed, The twice-born sang the blessing spells: Enamoured of the southern breeze.

From Vidy?pati: Bang?ya pad?bali; songs of the love of R?dh? and Krishna by Vidy?pati Th?kura

If he was different—beyond the "spare parts"—it was something he only suspected, something that made the idea, "twice-born," not a joke.

From Operation Haystack by Dongen, H. R. van