mantra

noun

man·​tra ˈmän-trə How to pronounce mantra (audio)
 also  ˈman-,
 or  ˈmən-
: a mystical formula of invocation (see invocation sense 2) or incantation (as in Hinduism)
also : watchword sense 2
"diversity" has become our multicultural mantra Manning Marable
mantric
ˈmän-trik How to pronounce mantra (audio)
 also  ˈman-
 or  ˈmən-
adjective

Examples of mantra in a Sentence

a businessman whose mantra is “bigger is better”
Recent Examples on the Web Future Ted regularly repeats the mantra ''Nothing good happens after 2 a.m.'' but goes anyway. Ew Staff Updated, EW.com, 18 Mar. 2024 Your 20s and 30s are for learning skills Using Obama’s mantra for career success, Raman advises those in their twenties and early thirties to forgo titles completely to focus on skills development, before specializing in their mid-thirties. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2024 Despite their busy schedules and hectic lives as television stars, the couple have been married for 25 — going on 26 — years and Preston exclusively tells PEOPLE of the mantra that's keep their hearts warm after all these years. Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 Melodic mantras and warm oil repeatedly poured across the lower back are parts of Kati Vasti, an Ayurvedic therapy that Karina Steward, founder and chief wellness officer of Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary in Koh Samui, Thailand, swears would put anyone in a pleasure coma. Alex Postman, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Feb. 2024 By that point in school, as the education mantra goes, third graders should be reading to learn, not learning to read. Jackie Valley, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Feb. 2024 The mantra also represents, in part, why Epic’s been the racehorse the healthcare industry continues to bet on, support and endorse. Seth Joseph, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 My dad, a health nut, used this mantra to justify his insistence that our family eat rice-heavy meals, at the exact same time every day, to promote regularity and thus overall health. Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2024 Punk rock has historically had its own fashion sense, with a DIY mantra that drove the spirit of the subculture. Charlie Vargas, Orange County Register, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mantra.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Sanskrit, sacred counsel, formula, from manyate he thinks; akin to Latin mens mind — more at mind

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mantra was in 1795

Dictionary Entries Near mantra

Cite this Entry

“Mantra.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mantra. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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