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Meaning & use

Hinduism

proper noun·Academicreligion

Last updated

UK/ˈhɪnduːɪzəm/
US/ˈhɪnduɪzəm/

Meanings

  1. proper nounproperreligion

    One of the world's oldest major religions, which began in India and includes many gods, texts, schools and customs, along with ideas such as karma and rebirth.

    Grammar: Always capitalized and used without an article: she studies Hinduism.

    Patterns

    • practice Hinduism
    • convert to Hinduism

    Hinduism is practiced by about a billion people, mostly in India and Nepal.

    The class compared Hinduism with Buddhism and Jainism.

    Hinduism includes many festivals, such as Diwali and Holi.

  2. proper nounproperreligion

    The wider way of life, set of traditions and philosophy of Hindu communities, including yoga, art and ideas about duty.

    Grammar: Used to talk about culture as well as belief.

    Patterns

    • the philosophy of Hinduism

    Ideas about duty and rebirth are central to Hinduism.

    Classical dance in India is closely tied to Hinduism.

    The museum shows how Hinduism has shaped art in South Asia.

Common combinations

practice Hinduism
Millions of families practice Hinduism around the world.
convert to Hinduism
She decided to convert to Hinduism after years of study.
follower of Hinduism
A follower of Hinduism may pray at a home shrine.
the teachings of Hinduism
The teachings of Hinduism are found in ancient texts.
Hinduism and Buddhism
Hinduism and Buddhism share some ideas, such as karma.

Synonyms and how they differ

Sanatana Dharma
This is the name many Hindus use for their tradition, meaning eternal way, whereas Hinduism is the English label used by outsiders and scholars.
Hindu faith
This is a simple, plain phrase that is interchangeable with Hinduism in most contexts.
Vedic religion
This refers to the older religion described in the Vedas, which is an earlier stage of Hinduism and not the same thing.

Word family

Hindu noun
a person who follows Hinduism
Hindu adjective
relating to Hinduism or its followers
Hindus noun
people who follow Hinduism, plural
Hindi noun
a major language of India, not a religion

Commonly confused: Hinduism or Hindi? Hinduism or Indian?

Hinduism vs Hindi

Hindi is a language spoken in India, while Hinduism is a religion; a person who speaks Hindi may or may not be a Hindu.

Hinduism vs Indian

Indian relates to the country of India and its people, whereas Hindu relates to a religion that people in many places follow.

Practice

Diwali, the festival of lights, is one of the best-known celebrations in ____.

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