swami

noun swa·mi \ ˈswä-mē \

Definition of swami

1 : a Hindu ascetic or religious teacher; specifically : a senior member of a religious order —used as a title

2 : one that resembles or emulates a swami : pundit, seer

See swami defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of swami from the Web

On one side were Mr. Cohn and free-trade advocates, and on the other was the Administration’s protectionist wing led by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, trade negotiator Robert Lighthizer and Mr. Trump’s personal trade swami, Peter Navarro.

— the editorial board, WSJ, "The Cohn Departure," 6 Mar. 2018
Delegates from both parties, all Lingayats, plead quietly for a moment of the swami’s dwindling time.

— The Economist, "Sect driveA medieval poet bedevils India’s most powerful political party," 23 Sep. 2017
Instead, the film is an immersive sensory experience that uses quiet pacing and dreamy rhythms to plunge the viewer inside the daily rituals and meditations of the swami and his students.

— National Geographic, "Beyond Yoga: Explore Life Inside a Hindu Spiritual Center," 8 July 2016
Each swami took a microphone and addressed the crowd for several minutes, some sending the attendees into peals of laughter with what sounded like standup-comedy patter.

— jonathan m. pitts, baltimoresun.com, "A birthday for the gods," 4 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'swami.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.