name Common

Buddha

BUU-duh

Buddha (name) means Siddhartha Gautama, the Indian teacher and philosopher whose teachings founded Buddhism. Example: “The Buddha is said to have reached enlightenment while meditating under a fig tree.”

name

Siddhartha Gautama, the Indian teacher and philosopher whose teachings founded Buddhism.

"The Buddha is said to have reached enlightenment while meditating under a fig tree."

noun

A statue or image representing the Buddha.

"A small stone buddha sat on the shelf beside the incense holder."

Loosely, anyone regarded as having reached a similarly enlightened or deeply calm state.

"Nothing seemed to rattle him — his coworkers joked he was basically a buddha."

How to use Buddha

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishRefers either to the historical founder of Buddhism or, more loosely, to statues of him or to a very calm, wise person.

Word forms

Buddhas plural

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The _____ is said to have reached enlightenment while meditating under a fig tree.

Etymology

From Pali/Sanskrit "buddha," meaning "awakened" or "enlightened," the past participle of a verb meaning "to wake up."

Origin: Sanskrit

Synonyms

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siddhartha gautama the enlightened one the awakened one

Frequently asked questions

What does “Buddha” mean?

The word “Buddha” means siddhartha Gautama, the Indian teacher and philosopher whose teachings founded Buddhism. In plain terms, refers either to the historical founder of Buddhism or, more loosely, to statues of him or to a very calm, wise person.

How do you pronounce “Buddha”?

“Buddha” is pronounced BUU-duh (/ˈbudə/ in IPA).

How do you use “Buddha” in a sentence?

Here is “Buddha” used in a sentence: “The Buddha is said to have reached enlightenment while meditating under a fig tree.”

What part of speech is “Buddha”?

Depending on how it is used, “Buddha” can be a name and a noun.

Where does the word “Buddha” come from?

The word “Buddha” comes from Sanskrit. From Pali/Sanskrit "buddha," meaning "awakened" or "enlightened," the past participle of a verb meaning "to wake up.".

Is “Buddha” a common word?

“Buddha” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “Buddha” have?

“Buddha” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: siddhartha Gautama, the Indian teacher and philosopher whose teachings founded Buddhism.

Should "Buddha" be capitalized when referring to a statue?

When referring to the historical figure Siddhartha Gautama or a specific statue representing him, "Buddha" is capitalized as a proper noun. Style guides generally keep the capital even for statues or images, since they represent that specific figure.

Can "buddha" be used to describe someone who is not a Buddhist teacher?

Yes, loosely and informally, people call someone a "buddha" if they seem unusually calm, wise, or enlightened, regardless of religion. This figurative use is casual and doesn't imply the person is literally connected to Buddhism.

What is the difference between "Buddha" and "Buddhist"?

"Buddha" refers to the historical teacher Siddhartha Gautama, or to statues and images of him, while "Buddhist" describes a follower of the religion and philosophy he founded. A Buddhist reveres the Buddha but is not the Buddha themselves.

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Vocabulary lists that include Buddha:

Words with Sanskrit origins Words that end with A