guru

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See also: Guru and gurú

English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Hindi गुरु (guru) / Punjabi ਗੁਰੂ (gurū), from Sanskrit गुरु (guru, venerable, respectable), originally "heavy" and in this sense cognate to English grieve and, more distantly, brute. Doublet of grave. A traditional, though flawed etymology based on the Advayataraka Upanishad (line 16)[1] describes the syllables gu as “darkness” and ru as “destroyer”, thus ascribing the meaning of “one who destroys/dispels darkness” to the word.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈɡʊɹuː/, /ˈɡuːɹuː/, /ɡʊˈɹuː/
    • (file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈɡʊɹ(ˌ)u/, /ˈɡu(ˌ)ɹu/, /ɡəˈɹu/
    • (file)
  • Rhymes: -ʊɹuː, -uːɹuː, -uː

Noun[edit]

guru (plural gurus or guru)

  1. In Indian traditions: a spiritual teacher who transmits knowledge to a shishya. [from 17th c.]
    • 1817, William Ward, History, Literature and Religion of the Hindoos, volume II:
      When the gooroo arrives at the house of a disciple, the whole family prostrate themselves at his feet, and the spiritual guide puts his right foot on the heads of the prostrate family.
    • 1939, Verrier Elwin, “The Magician and His Control of the Natural World”, in The Baiga, London: John Murray, [], section II (The Magician’s Heritage), page 342:
      The Baiga magicians derive from the old guru who succeeded Nanga Baiga. There is very great confusion about the original guru, and how he was actually related to Nanga Baiga, but there is general agreement that there were originally four great Baiga guru—Daugun, Nindhan, Danantar and Madhakawar, all four brothers.
    • 1989, Norman Jacobs, “The Classical Indian Society”, in Patrimonial Interpretation of Indian Society: Contemporary Structure and Historical Foundations, Delhi: Chanakya Publications, →ISBN, page 66:
      These guru, third, were responsible for insuring that the populace would not be tempted to support heterodox world renouncers and their counter-patrimonial ideas. In contrast to the pre-classical Brahmin scholars, who serviced only their own and certain ruler and elite religion-social interests, the guru were the patronal guides of the masses, offering prebendal control of the deities through charismatic but morally expounded magic and psychological compensation as personal confessors, in return for popular willingness to conform to the dharmic rules, as interpreted by guru to be sure.
    • 1994, Simon Rae, “Kiniteken Si Pemena: The Original Belief”, in Breath Becomes the Wind: Old and New in Karo Religion, Dunedin: University of Otago Press, →ISBN, part I (The Karo World), page 19:
      Many of the deities and beliefs recorded by the guru are in fact unknown to the common people, and some represent the esoteric knowledge of only a few guru.
    • 2010 May 10, “Madonna is my guru”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian[2], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-09-24:
      Traditionally, a guru is a spiritual teacher who guides a student on the road to Enlightenment, or finding God.
  2. (India) Any general teacher (as a term of respect).
  3. (sometimes humorous) An influential advisor or mentor. [from 20th c.]
    • 2004 October 18, “Vintage technology”, in Time:
      Many oenophiles rely on the ratings and recommendations of wine guru Robert Parker when selecting the perfect bottle.
  4. (derogatory) A fraudster or conman relying on a projected air of confidence in an obscure field.
    • 2012, John D. Rooke (Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta), “Meads v. Meads, 2012 ABQB 571”, in CanLII[3]:
      OPCA gurus are modern legal alchemists. They promise gold, but their methods are principally intended to impress the gullible, or those who wish to use this drivel to abuse the court system. Any lack of legal success by the OPCA litigant is, of course, portrayed as a consequence of the customer’s failure to properly understand and apply the guru's special knowledge.

Derived terms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

guru (third-person singular simple present gurus, present participle guruing, simple past and past participle gurued)

  1. To act as a guru; to give wise advice

References[edit]

  1. ^ “Advaya Taraka Upanishad(English Translation)”, in (please provide the title of the work)[1], accessed December 15, 2011, archived from the original on 2012-02-06

Blagar[edit]

Noun[edit]

guru

  1. teacher

References[edit]

Catalan[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Hindi गुरु (guru) / Urdu گرو (guru) / Punjabi ਗੁਰੂ (gurū), from Sanskrit गुरु (guru, venerable, respectable).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

guru m (plural gurus)

  1. guru (spiritual teacher)

Further reading[edit]

Czech[edit]

Noun[edit]

guru m anim

  1. guru (spiritual teacher)
  2. guru (leader or expert in a field)

Declension[edit]

Also indeclinable.

Finnish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Ultimately from Sanskrit गुरु (guru).

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈɡuru/, [ˈɡuru]
  • Rhymes: -uru
  • Syllabification(key): gu‧ru

Noun[edit]

guru

  1. A guru

Declension[edit]

Inflection of guru (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative guru gurut
genitive gurun gurujen
partitive gurua guruja
illative guruun guruihin
singular plural
nominative guru gurut
accusative nom. guru gurut
gen. gurun
genitive gurun gurujen
partitive gurua guruja
inessive gurussa guruissa
elative gurusta guruista
illative guruun guruihin
adessive gurulla guruilla
ablative gurulta guruilta
allative gurulle guruille
essive guruna guruina
translative guruksi guruiksi
abessive gurutta guruitta
instructive guruin
comitative See the possessive forms below.
Possessive forms of guru (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
first-person singular possessor
singular plural
nominative guruni guruni
accusative nom. guruni guruni
gen. guruni
genitive guruni gurujeni
partitive guruani gurujani
inessive gurussani guruissani
elative gurustani guruistani
illative guruuni guruihini
adessive gurullani guruillani
ablative gurultani guruiltani
allative gurulleni guruilleni
essive gurunani guruinani
translative gurukseni guruikseni
abessive guruttani guruittani
instructive
comitative guruineni
second-person singular possessor
singular plural
nominative gurusi gurusi
accusative nom. gurusi gurusi
gen. gurusi
genitive gurusi gurujesi
partitive guruasi gurujasi
inessive gurussasi guruissasi
elative gurustasi guruistasi
illative guruusi guruihisi
adessive gurullasi guruillasi
ablative gurultasi guruiltasi
allative gurullesi guruillesi
essive gurunasi guruinasi
translative guruksesi guruiksesi
abessive guruttasi guruittasi
instructive
comitative guruinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular plural
nominative gurumme gurumme
accusative nom. gurumme gurumme
gen. gurumme
genitive gurumme gurujemme
partitive guruamme gurujamme
inessive gurussamme guruissamme
elative gurustamme guruistamme
illative guruumme guruihimme
adessive gurullamme guruillamme
ablative gurultamme guruiltamme
allative gurullemme guruillemme
essive gurunamme guruinamme
translative guruksemme guruiksemme
abessive guruttamme guruittamme
instructive
comitative guruinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular plural
nominative gurunne gurunne
accusative nom. gurunne gurunne
gen. gurunne
genitive gurunne gurujenne
partitive guruanne gurujanne
inessive gurussanne guruissanne
elative gurustanne guruistanne
illative guruunne guruihinne
adessive gurullanne guruillanne
ablative gurultanne guruiltanne
allative gurullenne guruillenne
essive gurunanne guruinanne
translative guruksenne guruiksenne
abessive guruttanne guruittanne
instructive
comitative guruinenne
third-person possessor
singular plural
nominative gurunsa gurunsa
accusative nom. gurunsa gurunsa
gen. gurunsa
genitive gurunsa gurujensa
partitive guruaan
guruansa
gurujaan
gurujansa
inessive gurussaan
gurussansa
guruissaan
guruissansa
elative gurustaan
gurustansa
guruistaan
guruistansa
illative guruunsa guruihinsa
adessive gurullaan
gurullansa
guruillaan
guruillansa
ablative gurultaan
gurultansa
guruiltaan
guruiltansa
allative gurulleen
gurullensa
guruilleen
guruillensa
essive gurunaan
gurunansa
guruinaan
guruinansa
translative gurukseen
guruksensa
guruikseen
guruiksensa
abessive guruttaan
guruttansa
guruittaan
guruittansa
instructive
comitative guruineen
guruinensa

Further reading[edit]

French[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

guru m (plural gurus)

  1. Alternative spelling of gourou

Hausa[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ɡúː.rúː/
    • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA(key): [ɡʷúː.rúː]

Noun[edit]

gūr̃ū m (plural gūr̃ā̀yē, possessed form gūr̃un)

  1. A large leather belt, usually containing charms.

Hungarian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Hindi गुरु (guru), from Sanskrit गुरु (guru, heavy).[1]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): [ˈɡuru]
  • Hyphenation: gu‧ru
  • Rhymes: -ru

Noun[edit]

guru (plural guruk)

  1. guru (a Hindu or Sikh spiritual teacher)
  2. guru (leader or expert in a field)
    Synonyms: tanító, mester, tanítómester

Declension[edit]

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)
singular plural
nominative guru guruk
accusative gurut gurukat
dative gurunak guruknak
instrumental guruval gurukkal
causal-final guruért gurukért
translative guruvá gurukká
terminative guruig gurukig
essive-formal guruként gurukként
essive-modal
inessive guruban gurukban
superessive gurun gurukon
adessive gurunál guruknál
illative guruba gurukba
sublative gurura gurukra
allative guruhoz gurukhoz
elative guruból gurukból
delative gururól gurukról
ablative gurutól guruktól
non-attributive
possessive - singular
gurué guruké
non-attributive
possessive - plural
guruéi gurukéi
Possessive forms of guru
possessor single possession multiple possessions
1st person sing. gurum guruim
2nd person sing. gurud guruid
3rd person sing. guruja gurui
1st person plural gurunk guruink
2nd person plural gurutok guruitok
3rd person plural gurujuk guruik

References[edit]

  1. ^ guru in Tótfalusi, István. Magyar etimológiai nagyszótár (’Hungarian Comprehensive Dictionary of Etymology’). Budapest: Arcanum Adatbázis, 2001; Arcanum DVD Könyvtár →ISBN

Indonesian[edit]

Indonesian Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia id

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Malay guru, ultimately Sanskrit गुरु (gurú, guru, teacher, sage), from Proto-Indo-Aryan *gr̥Húṣ, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *gr̥Húš, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷr̥h₂ús (heavy). Doublet of brutal and bruto.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈɡuru/, [ˈɡu.ru]
  • Hyphenation: gu‧ru

Noun[edit]

guru (plural guru-guru, para guru, first-person possessive guruku, second-person possessive gurumu, third-person possessive gurunya)

  1. teacher

Derived terms[edit]

Compounds[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Italian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Hindi गुरू (gurū, teacher).

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈɡu.ru/
  • Rhymes: -uru
  • Hyphenation: gù‧ru

Noun[edit]

guru m (invariable)

  1. a guru (religious or spiritual leader; influential person)

Anagrams[edit]

Javanese[edit]

Romanization[edit]

guru

  1. Romanization of ꦒꦸꦫꦸ

Latin[edit]

Noun[edit]

gū̆rū

  1. ablative singular of gū̆rus

Lindu[edit]

Noun[edit]

guru

  1. teacher

Maguindanao[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Malay guru, from From Sanskrit गुरु (gurú)

Noun[edit]

guru

  1. teacher; instructor

Malay[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Sanskrit गुरु (gurú, teacher, sage) via Old Javanese, from Proto-Indo-Aryan *gr̥Húṣ, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *gr̥Húš, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷr̥h₂ús (heavy).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

guru (Jawi spelling ݢورو, plural guru-guru, informal 1st possessive guruku, 2nd possessive gurumu, 3rd possessive gurunya)

  1. educator, teacher, instructor

Derived terms[edit]

Compounds[edit]

Descendants[edit]

  • Indonesian: guru
  • Tagalog: gulo, guro

References[edit]

  • Edi Sedyawati; Ellya Iswati; Kusparyati Boedhijono; Dyah Widjajanti D. (1994) Kosakata Bahasa Sanskerta dalam Bahasa Melayu Masa Kini, Jakarta, Indonesia: Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa. Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia, →ISBN, page 76
  • Pijnappel, Jan (1875), “ݢورو goeroe”, in Maleisch-Hollandsch woordenboek, John Enschede en Zonen, Frederik Muller, page 108
  • Wilkinson, Richard James (1901), “ݢورو guru”, in A Malay-English dictionary, Hong Kong: Kelly & Walsh limited, page 581
  • Wilkinson, Richard James (1932), “guru”, in A Malay-English dictionary (romanised), volume I, Mytilene, Greece: Salavopoulos & Kinderlis, pages 383

Further reading[edit]

Mapudungun[edit]

A red fox (Vulpes vulpes).

Alternative forms[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

IPA(key): /ŋʊʐʊ/

Noun[edit]

guru (Raguileo spelling)

  1. A fox

Old Javanese[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Sanskrit गुरु (guru).

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ɡu.ru/
  • Rhymes: -ru
  • Hyphenation: gu‧ru

Noun[edit]

guru

  1. teacher
  2. long syllable

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

Further reading[edit]

  • "guru" in P.J. Zoetmulder with the collaboration of S.O. Robson, Old Javanese-English Dictionary. 's-Gravenhage: M. Nijhoff, 1982.

Pali[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Cognate with Sanskrit गुरु (guru). It is an assimilatory modification of garu.

Adjective[edit]

guru

  1. heavy
  2. venerable

Declension[edit]

Noun[edit]

guru m

  1. teacher (clarification of this definition is needed)

Declension[edit]

References[edit]

Pali Text Society (1921–1925), “guru”, in Pali-English Dictionary‎, London: Chipstead

Polish[edit]

Polish Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia pl

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Hindi गुरू (gurū) / Urdu گرو (guru) / Punjabi ਗੁਰੂ (gurū), from Sanskrit गुरु (gurú), from Proto-Indo-Aryan *gr̥Húṣ, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *gr̥Húš, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷr̥h₂ús (heavy).

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈɡu.ru/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -uru
  • Syllabification: gu‧ru

Noun[edit]

guru m pers (indeclinable)

  1. (Hinduism) guru (spiritual teacher)
  2. guru (advisor or mentor)

Further reading[edit]

  • guru in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
  • guru in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese[edit]

Portuguese Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia pt

Etymology[edit]

From Sanskrit गुरु (gurú, venerable, respectable), originally "heavy", from Proto-Indo-European *gʷréh₂us. Doublet of bruto.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • Rhymes: -u
  • Hyphenation: gu‧ru

Noun[edit]

guru m (plural gurus)

  1. guru (spiritual teacher)

Noun[edit]

guru m or f by sense (plural gurus)

  1. guru (advisor, mentor)

Related terms[edit]

Romanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English guru or French gourou.

Noun[edit]

guru m (plural guru)

  1. guru

Declension[edit]

Serbo-Croatian[edit]

Noun[edit]

gȕru m (Cyrillic spelling гу̏ру)

  1. guru

Declension[edit]

Slovak[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Derived from Hindi गुरू (gurū) / Urdu گرو (guru), from Sanskrit गुरु (guru, venerable, respectable).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

guru m anim (genitive singular gurua, nominative plural guruovia, genitive plural guruov, declension pattern of chlap)

  1. guru

Declension[edit]

References[edit]

  • guru”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2024

Swahili[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Hindi गुड़ (guṛ, jaggery).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

guru

  1. Only used in sukari guru (jaggery)

Swedish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Hindi गुरू (gurū), from Sanskrit गुरु (guru, heavy).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

guru c

  1. guru

Declension[edit]

Declension of guru 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative guru gurun gurur, guruer, gurus gururna, guruernas
Genitive gurus guruns gururs, guruers, gurus gururnas, guruernas

References[edit]

Toba Batak[edit]

Noun[edit]

guru

  1. teacher

Derived terms[edit]

References[edit]

  • J. Warneck (1906) Tobabataksch-Deutsches Wörterbuch[5], Batavia: Landsdrukkerij, page 80

Yakan[edit]

Noun[edit]

guru

  1. teacher (of spiritual matters or martial arts)