karma
UK[ˈkɑːmə]US[ˈkɑːrmə]
n
(in Hinduism and Buddhism) the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.
n
Informal. Good or bad luck, viewed as resulting from one's actions.
Etymology
The word 'karma' entered English in the early 19th century, directly from the Sanskrit word 'karman', meaning 'action, effect, fate'. Its root is the Sanskrit verb 'kr', meaning 'to do, to make', which is distantly related to the Proto-Indo-European root kwer- meaning 'to make, form'. The philosophical concept, central to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, refers to the universal causal law where intentional actions have corresponding effects on the actor's future. In its journey into English, the term broadened from its specific religious context to also describe, in a more general secular sense, the notion of destiny or consequence resulting from a person's conduct.
Analysis
The word is a loanword from Sanskrit, adopted as a single, unanalyzable unit in English. It does not contain separable morphemes within the modern English spelling.
Examples
Many believe that good karma will lead to positive outcomes in life.
After helping so many people, she felt a sense of accumulated good karma.
He joked that his car breaking down was just bad karma for missing his friend's birthday.