guru

noun

gu·​ru ˈgu̇r-(ˌ)ü 

ˈgü-(ˌ)rü

also gə-ˈrü

plural gurus

1

: a personal religious teacher and spiritual guide in Hinduism

2

a

: a teacher and especially intellectual guide in matters of fundamental concern

has been a guru to many young writers

b

: one who is an acknowledged leader or chief proponent

became the guru of the movement

c

: a person with knowledge or expertise : expert

a computer guru

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.

Synonyms of guru

• expert
• master
• scholar
• adept
• wizard
• virtuoso

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

On the other was Anat Shenker-Osorio, a progressive messaging guru who advised the Way to Win donor network — the hosts of the conference — on how to move voters. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Dealer Jeffrey Deitch tried first, with Artstar, on the Gallery HD network, as early as 2005, with guests including curator Debra Singer, critic Carlo McCormick, and performance art guru RoseLee Goldberg. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 11 Aug. 2026

For us, Shiva is the Adiyogi – the first yogi, and the Adiguru – the first guru. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026

However, cooking show fans suspect that Meghan’s idea of becoming a Stewart successor might involve borrowing heavily from the guru. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Hindi (or another Indo-Aryan vernacular language), borrowed from Sanskrit gurúḥ "highly respected person, teacher, spiritual guide," noun derivative of gurúḥ "heavy, weighty, venerable" — more at grave entry 2

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for guru

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup
• bijou

Kids Definition

guru

noun

gu·​ru gə-ˈrü 

ˈgu̇(ə)r-ü

1

: a personal religious teacher and spiritual guide in Hinduism

2

a

: a person that is generally recognized as a leader or teacher

b

: a person with knowledge and expertise : expert

Etymology

from gurū, a word in Hindi (the major language in India) meaning "Hindu teacher or spiritual guide," derived from Sanskrit guru (adjective) "worthy of respect"