Definition of guru
gurus
1 : a personal religious teacher and spiritual guide in Hinduism
2a : a teacher and especially intellectual guide in matters of fundamental concern has been a guru to many young writersb : one who is an acknowledged leader or chief proponent became the guru of the movementc : a person with knowledge or expertise : expert a computer guru
From the M-W Editors
Examples of guru in a Sentence
He has been a guru to many young writers.
She's a self-proclaimed financial guru.
Fitness gurus call it the hottest new exercise trend of the year.
Did You Know?
In Hinduism, a guru is a personal spiritual teacher. In ancient India, knowledge of the Vedas (a body of liturgical literature) was transmitted orally from guru to pupil. The rise of the bhakti movement, which emphasizes the love of devotees for a personal god, further increased the importance of gurus, who were often looked on as living embodiments of spiritual truth and were identified with the deity. Gurus prescribe spiritual disciplines to their devotees, who follow their dictates in a tradition of service and obedience. Men or women may be gurus, though generally only men have established lineages.
Origin and Etymology of guru
ultimately from Sanskrit guru, from guru, adjective, heavy, venerable — more at grieve
First Known Use: 1613
Other Religion (Eastern and Other) Terms
Zen, antinomian, avatar, gnosticism, illuminati, ineffable, karma, koan, mantra
GURU Defined for English Language Learners
guru
playDefinition of guru for English Language Learners
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: a religious teacher and spiritual guide in Hinduism
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: a teacher or guide that you trust
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: a person who has a lot of experience in or knowledge about a particular subject
Learn More about guru
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See words that rhyme with guru Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for guru Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about guru
Seen and Heard
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