: a broad flight of steps that is situated on an Indian riverbank and that provides access to the water especially for bathing

Examples of ghat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Everywhere people bathe along the river’s hundreds of ghats (stone steps), many hop bamboo-platformed ferry boats, prayers and music ring out from towns behind jute plantations. Alex Greggery, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2024 Devout Hindus go there to die so that they can be cremated on the ghats or on floating rafts and have their ashes can be strewn on the water to free them from the cycle of death and rebirth. New York Times, 23 Dec. 2019 Varanasi has many steps, called ghats, leading down to the river Ganga. Neha J Hiranandani, Quartz India, 16 Oct. 2019 Prakash rows up and down the ghats every day in the hot sun to support his wife and three daughters. Helen Regan and Omar Khan, CNN, 20 May 2019

Word History

Etymology

Hindi & Urdu ghāṭ, from Sanskrit ghaṭṭa

First Known Use

1783, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ghat was in 1783

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ghat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghat. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on ghat

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!