satori

noun

sa·​to·​ri sə-ˈtȯr-ē How to pronounce satori (audio)
sä-
: sudden enlightenment and a state of consciousness attained by intuitive illumination representing the spiritual goal of Zen Buddhism

Examples of satori in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There's a term called satori [meaning awakening/ enlightenment in Japanese] in Buddhist and Zen teachings. Billboard Japan, Billboard, 31 Dec. 2019 To me that’s so much of what Los Angeles is about, that almost feeling of satori in traffic. Julia Felsenthal, Vogue, 22 July 2018 Push the bar, monkey, and get an infomercial on satori! Ty Burr, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Mar. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'satori.' 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

Japanese

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of satori was in 1727

Dictionary Entries Near satori

Cite this Entry

“Satori.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/satori. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

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