Wordsmith.org: the magic of words


A.Word.A.Day

About | Media | Search | Contact  


Home

Today's Word

Yesterday's Word

Archives

FAQ


Oct 29, 2003
This week's theme
Words derived from Sanskrit

This week's words
karma
avatar
nirvana
pundit
juggernaut
Bookmark and Share Facebook Twitter Digg MySpace Bookmark and Share
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

nirvana

Pronunciation Sound Clip RealAudio

nirvana (nir-VAH-nuh) noun

1. Freedom from the endless cycle of birth and death and related suffering.
2. An idealized state or place free of pain, worries, etc.

[From Sanskrit nirvana (blowing out, extinguishing, extinction), from nis- (out) + vati (it blows). Ultimately from the Indo-European root we- (to blow) that is also the source of wind, weather, ventilate, window and wing.]

"'Hawaii looks like nirvana' compared to the rest of the country, said Emily Friedman, a Chicago-based health policy analyst who authored a history on the island health care system."
Matt Sedensky; Hawaii's Uninsured Population; Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii); Oct 22, 2003.

See more usage examples of nirvana in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

X-Bonus

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. -Voltaire, philosopher (1694-1778)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith