Meaning & use
yogi
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A person who practices yoga, especially one who is highly trained or teaches it.
Grammar: Countable: 'a yogi', 'two yogis'.
Patterns
- a yogi
- become a yogi
- practice as a yogi
She has been a dedicated yogi for over twenty years.
The yogi led the class through a series of challenging poses.
nouncountablereligion
In Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, a person who follows a spiritual discipline aimed at union with the divine.
Grammar: Often used with 'a' or in the plural; sometimes capitalized in this sense.
Patterns
- a yogi
- the yogi's meditation
- a Hindu yogi
The yogi spent years meditating in a cave in the Himalayas.
Ancient texts describe the yogi's path to enlightenment.
Word forms
| plural | yogis |
|---|
Common combinations
- a dedicated yogi
- He is a dedicated yogi who practices every morning at dawn.
- a famous yogi
- The famous yogi attracted thousands of followers.
- a yogi master
- She studied under a yogi master in India.
- practice as a yogi
- After years of training, he began to practice as a yogi.
Synonyms and how they differ
- yogin
- Yogin is a less common variant, often used in scholarly or religious contexts.
- yoga practitioner
- This is a neutral, descriptive term; yogi often implies a deeper spiritual commitment.
Word family
Commonly confused: yogi or yogurt? yogi or Yogi Bear?
yogi vs yogurt
Yogurt is a dairy product; yogi is a person who practices yoga. They sound somewhat similar but are unrelated.
yogi vs Yogi Bear
Yogi Bear is a cartoon character, not a real practitioner of yoga; the name is a pun on 'yogi'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'yogi' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A yogi is a person who practices yoga, so 'taught us how to meditate' fits. Option 1 confuses yogi with yogurt. Option 3 is unlikely because yogi refers to yoga, not basketball. Option 4 confuses yogi with a food item.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “yogi”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.