Buddha Definition & Meaning

American

British

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Buddha American [boo-duh, bood-uh] / ˈbu də, ˈbʊd ə /

noun

1. Also called Gautama. Also called Butsu. Also called Goutama Buddha. Also called Goutama. Also called Gautama Buddha,. Prince Siddhāttha or Siddhartha, 566?–c480 b.c., Indian religious leader: founder of Buddhism.

2. any of a series of teachers in Buddhism, of whom Gautama was the last, who bring enlightenment and wisdom.

3. (sometimes lowercase) a person who has attained full prajna, or enlightenment; Arhat.

buddha 1 British / ˈbʊdə /

noun

1. Buddhism (often capital) a person who has achieved a state of perfect enlightenment

2. an image or picture of the Buddha

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Buddha 2 British / ˈbʊdə /

noun

1. ?563–483 bc , a title applied to Gautama Siddhartha, a nobleman and religious teacher of N India, regarded by his followers as the most recent rediscoverer of the path to enlightenment: the founder of Buddhism

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Buddha

First recorded in 1675–85; from Sanskrit: “awakened” ( budh- “awaken, notice, understand” + -ta past participle suffix)

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How does buddha compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Bodhisattva vs. Buddha

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

With six Michelin-starred chefs and 14 James Beard Award nominees, including two-time “Top Chef” winner Buddha Lo, this could put some heat on “Top Chef,” which also returns this month on Peacock.

From MarketWatch

In 2024, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art returned 14 artefacts looted by Latchford, including a 10th century sandstone goddess statue and a large 7th century Buddha head.

From Barron's

The group also reportedly plans to appeal to lawmakers to declare Buddha's birthday - called Vesak - a national holiday - but their expedition has gained traction beyond this policy request.

From BBC

The city grabbed international attention in 2001, when the Sunni Pashtun Taliban authorities destroyed two large Buddha statues cherished by the predominantly Shia Hazara community in the region.

From Barron's

Following the incident, Bristol City Council released images of an elephant carved in ivory, an ivory statue of the Buddha, a ship lantern and an Emancipation token.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.