buddha
UK[ˈbʊdə]US[ˈbʊdə]
n
a title given to the founder of buddhism, siddhartha gautama, or to a person who has attained perfect enlightenment.
Etymology
the term "buddha" is not a compound formed from english morphemes but a direct borrowing from sanskrit. in sanskrit, "buddha" (बुद्ध) is the past participle of the verb "budh-", meaning "to awake, to know, to perceive." thus, its literal meaning is "the awakened one" or "the enlightened one." this title was applied to siddhartha gautama after he attained supreme knowledge and liberation from the cycle of rebirth. the word entered english through scholarly and religious transmission, retaining its core semantic link to the state of spiritual awakening.
Analysis
the word is a loanword from sanskrit, adopted as a whole into english. it is not productively segmented using english spelling conventions.
Examples
the statue depicts the buddha in a meditative pose.
many pilgrims travel to bodh gaya, the site where the buddha attained enlightenment.
the teachings of the buddha emphasize compassion and the end of suffering.