MANTRA

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does mantra mean? 

• MANTRA (noun)
  The noun MANTRA has 2 senses:

1. a commonly repeated word or phrase

2. (Sanskrit) literally a 'sacred utterance' in Vedism; one of a collection of orally transmitted poetic hymns

  Familiarity information: MANTRA used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MANTRA (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A commonly repeated word or phrase

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

she repeated 'So pleased with how its going' at intervals like a mantra

Hypernyms ("mantra" is a kind of...):

catchword; motto; shibboleth; slogan (a favorite saying of a sect or political group)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(Sanskrit) literally a 'sacred utterance' in Vedism; one of a collection of orally transmitted poetic hymns

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("mantra" is a kind of...):

religious text; religious writing; sacred text; sacred writing (writing that is venerated for the worship of a deity)

Domain category:

Hindooism; Hinduism (a body of religious and philosophical beliefs and cultural practices native to India and based on a caste system; it is characterized by a belief in reincarnation, by a belief in a supreme being of many forms and natures, by the view that opposing theories are aspects of one eternal truth, and by a desire for liberation from earthly evils)

Buddhism (the teaching of Buddha that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire, that suffering ceases when desire ceases, and that enlightenment obtained through right conduct and wisdom and meditation releases one from desire and suffering and rebirth)