Vishnu
[ vish-noo ]
/ ˈvɪʃ nu /
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noun Hinduism.
(in later Hinduism) “the Preserver,” the second member of the Trimurti, along with Brahma the Creator and Shiva the Destroyer.
(in popular Hinduism) a deity believed to have descended from heaven to earth in several incarnations, or avatars, varying in number from nine to twenty-two, but always including animals. His most important human incarnation is the Krishna of the Bhagavad-Gita.
“the Pervader,” one of a half-dozen solar deities in the Rig-Veda, daily traversing the sky in three strides, morning, afternoon, and night.
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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
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Origin of Vishnu
From the Sanskrit word viṣṇu
OTHER WORDS FROM Vishnu
Vish·nu·ism, nounWords nearby Vishnu
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for Vishnu
British Dictionary definitions for Vishnu
Vishnu
/ (ˈvɪʃnuː) /
noun
Hinduism the Pervader or Sustainer: originally a solar deity occupying a secondary place in the Hindu pantheon; later one of the three chief gods, the second member of the Trimurti; and, later still, the saviour appearing in many incarnations
Derived forms of Vishnu
Vishnuism, nounWord Origin for Vishnu
C17: from Sanskrit Viṣṇu, literally: the one who works everywhere
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Cultural definitions for Vishnu
Vishnu
[ (vish-nooh) ]
A deity of Hinduism, known as the Preserver. According to the Hindus, he has appeared as Krishna and as the Buddha.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.