guru

See also: Guru and gurú

Languages (28)

English

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English

WOTD – 21 June 2011

Alternative forms

• goru [17th–19th c.]
• gooroo [19th c.]
• gourou (obsolete)
• guroo (archaic)

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindi गुरु (guru) / Punjabi ਗੁਰੂ (gurū), from Sanskrit गुरु (guru, “venerable, respectable”), originally "heavy" and in this sense cognate to English grieve and, more distantly, brute. Doublet of grave. A traditional, though flawed etymology based on the Advayataraka Upanishad (line 16) describes the syllables gu as “darkness” and ru as “destroyer”, thus ascribing the meaning of “one who destroys/dispels darkness” to the word.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɡʊɹuː/, /ˈɡuːɹuː/, /ɡʊˈɹuː/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈɡʊɹ(ˌ)u/, /ˈɡu(ˌ)ɹu/, /ɡəˈɹu/

  • Audio (Mid-Atlantic US):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ʊɹuː, -uːɹuː, -uː

Noun

guru (plural gurus or guru)

1. In Indian traditions: a spiritual teacher who transmits knowledge to a shishya. [from 17th c.]
   • 1817, William Ward, History, Literature and Religion of the Hindoos, volume II:

     When the gooroo arrives at the house of a disciple, the whole family prostrate themselves at his feet, and the spiritual guide puts his right foot on the heads of the prostrate family.

   • 1939, Verrier Elwin, “The Magician and His Control of the Natural World”, in The Baiga, London: John Murray, […], section II (The Magician’s Heritage), page 342:

     The Baiga magicians derive from the old guru who succeeded Nanga Baiga. There is very great confusion about the original guru, and how he was actually related to Nanga Baiga, but there is general agreement that there were originally four great Baiga guru—Daugun, Nindhan, Danantar and Madhakawar, all four brothers.

   • 1989, Norman Jacobs, “The Classical Indian Society”, in Patrimonial Interpretation of Indian Society: Contemporary Structure and Historical Foundations, Delhi: Chanakya Publications, →ISBN, page 66:

     These guru, third, were responsible for insuring that the populace would not be tempted to support heterodox world renouncers and their counter-patrimonial ideas. In contrast to the pre-classical Brahmin scholars, who serviced only their own and certain ruler and elite religion-social interests, the guru were the patronal guides of the masses, offering prebendal control of the deities through charismatic but morally expounded magic and psychological compensation as personal confessors, in return for popular willingness to conform to the dharmic rules, as interpreted by guru to be sure.

   • 1994, Simon Rae, “Kiniteken Si Pemena: The Original Belief”, in Breath Becomes the Wind: Old and New in Karo Religion, Dunedin: University of Otago Press, →ISBN, part I (The Karo World), page 19:

     Many of the deities and beliefs recorded by the guru are in fact unknown to the common people, and some represent the esoteric knowledge of only a few guru.

   • 2010 May 10, “Madonna is my guru”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian‎^[2], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 24 September 2022:

     Traditionally, a guru is a spiritual teacher who guides a student on the road to Enlightenment, or finding God.

2. (India) Any general teacher (as a term of respect).
3. (sometimes humorous) An influential advisor or mentor. [from 20th c.]
   • 2004 October 18, “Vintage technology”, in Time:

     Many oenophiles rely on the ratings and recommendations of wine guru Robert Parker when selecting the perfect bottle.

4. (derogatory) A fraudster or conman relying on a projected air of confidence in an obscure field.
   • 2012, John D. Rooke (Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta), “Meads v. Meads, 2012 ABQB 571”, in CanLII‎^[3]:

     OPCA gurus are modern legal alchemists. They promise gold, but their methods are principally intended to impress the gullible, or those who wish to use this drivel to abuse the court system. Any lack of legal success by the OPCA litigant is, of course, portrayed as a consequence of the customer’s failure to properly understand and apply the guru's special knowledge.

Derived terms

• antiguru
• furu
• gurudom
• guruhood
• guruism
• guruji
• gurulike
• guruship
• tech guru

Related terms

• adi-guru
• Bhaiṣajyaguru
• gurdwara
• Gurmukhi
• Guru Granth Sahib
• gurukul
• satguru
• Waheguru

Translations

spiritual teacher

• Afrikaans: ghoeroe (af)
• Arabic: مُعَلِّم رُوحِيّ m (muʕallim rūḥiyy), جُورُو (gūrū), غُورُو m (ḡūrū)
• Armenian: գուրու (hy) (guru)
• Assamese: গুৰু (guru)
• Bengali: গুরু (bn) (guru), মুর্শিদ (bn) (murśid)
• Bulgarian: гу́ру m (gúru), духо́вен учи́тел m (duhóven učítel)
• Burmese: ဂုရု (gu.ru.)
• Catalan: guru (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 古魯 / 古鲁 (gǔlǔ), 上師 / 上师 (shàngshī), 導師 / 导师 (dǎoshī), 大師 / 大师 (dàshī)

• Czech: guru (cs) m
• Dutch: goeroe (nl) m
• Esperanto: guruo
• Finnish: guru (fi)
• French: guru (fr) m, gourou (fr) m
• Georgian: გურუ (guru)
• German: Guru (de) m
• Greek: γκουρού (el) m (gkouroú)
• Gujarati: ગુરુ m (guru)
• Hindi: गुरु (hi) m (guru)
• Hungarian: guru (hu)
• Indonesian: guru (id)
• Italian: guru (it) m
• Japanese: グル (guru), 教祖 (ja) (kyōso)
• Kannada: ಗುರು (kn) (guru)
• Khmer: គរុ (km) (kĕəʼruʼ), គ្រូ (km) (kruu)
• Korean: 지도자 (ko) (jidoja), 구루 (guru)
• Lao: ຄຸຣຸ (khu ru), ຄູ (lo) (khū)
• Latin: gurus m
• Macedonian: гу́ру m (gúru)
• Malay: guru (ms)
• Malayalam: ഗുരു (ml) (guru)
• Marathi: गुरू m (gurū)
• Mongolian: гүрү (mn) (gürü)
• Nepali: गुरु (ne) (guru)
• Odia: ଗୁରୁ (or) (guru)
• Pali: guru m
• Persian: گورو (guru)
• Polish: guru (pl) m
• Portuguese: guru (pt) m
• Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ (pa) (gurū)
• Russian: гу́ру (ru) m (gúru), духо́вный учи́тель m (duxóvnyj učítelʹ)
• Sanskrit: गुरू (sa) m (gurū)
• Serbo-Croatian: guru (sh) m
• Sikkimese: གུ་རུ (gu ru)
• Slovak: guru m
• Spanish: gurú (es) m
• Tamil: குரு (ta) (kuru)
• Telugu: గురువు (te) (guruvu), విశారదుడు (te) (viśāraduḍu), కోవిదుడు (te) (kōviduḍu)
• Thai: คุรุ (th) (kú-rú), ครู (th) (kruu)
• Urdu: گرو m (guru)

advisor or mentor

• Bengali: মুর্শিদ (bn) (murśid)
• Catalan: guru (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 導師 / 导师 (zh) (dǎoshī)

• Dutch: goeroe (nl) m
• Finnish: guru (fi)
• French: guru (fr) m, gourou (fr) m
• German: Guru (de) m
• Greek: γκουρού (el) m (gkouroú)
• Hindi: गुरु (hi) m (guru)
• Hungarian: guru (hu)
• Macedonian: гу́ру m (gúru)
• Malayalam: ഗുരു (ml) (guru)
• Polish: guru (pl) m, nastawnik (pl) m, uczyciel (pl) m
• Portuguese: guru (pt) m or f
• Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ (pa) (gurū)
• Russian: наста́вник (ru) m (nastávnik), учи́тель (ru) m (učítelʹ)
• Sanskrit: गुरू (sa) m (gurū)
• Serbo-Croatian: guru (sh) m
• Spanish: gurú (es) m
• Tagalog: guro (tl)

Verb

guru (third-person singular simple present gurus, present participle guruing, simple past and past participle gurued)

1. To act as a guru; to give wise advice

Blagar

Noun

guru

1. teacher

References

• Antoinette Schapper, The Papuan Languages of Timor, Alor and Pantar: Volume 1 (2014), p. 165

Catalan

Etymology

From Hindi गुरु (guru) / Urdu گرو (guru) / Punjabi ਗੁਰੂ (gurū), from Sanskrit गुरु (guru, “venerable, respectable”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central, Valencia, Northwestern) [ˈɡu.ɾu]

Noun

guru m (plural gurus)

1. guru (spiritual teacher)

Further reading

• “guru”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɡuru]

Noun

guru m anim

1. guru (spiritual teacher)
2. guru (leader or expert in a field)

Declension

Also indeclinable.

Declension of guru (masculine animate in -u)

	singular	plural
nominative	guru	guruové
genitive	gurua	guruů
dative	guruovi	guruům
accusative	gurua	guruy
vocative	guru	guruové
locative	guruovi	guruech
instrumental	guruem	guruy

Finnish

Etymology

Ultimately from Sanskrit गुरु (guru).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡuru/, [ˈɡuru]
• Rhymes: -uru
• Syllabification^(key): gu‧ru
• Hyphenation^(key): gu‧ru

Noun

guru

1. guru

Declension

Inflection of guru (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		guru	gurut
genitive		gurun	gurujen
partitive		gurua	guruja
illative		guruun	guruihin
		singular	plural
nominative		guru	gurut
accusative	nom.	guru	gurut
	gen.	gurun
genitive		gurun	gurujen
partitive		gurua	guruja
inessive		gurussa	guruissa
elative		gurusta	guruista
illative		guruun	guruihin
adessive		gurulla	guruilla
ablative		gurulta	guruilta
allative		gurulle	guruille
essive		guruna	guruina
translative		guruksi	guruiksi
abessive		gurutta	guruitta
instructive		—	guruin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of guru (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative guruni guruni accusative nom. guruni guruni gen. guruni genitive guruni gurujeni partitive guruani gurujani inessive gurussani guruissani elative gurustani guruistani illative guruuni guruihini adessive gurullani guruillani ablative gurultani guruiltani allative gurulleni guruilleni essive gurunani guruinani translative gurukseni guruikseni abessive guruttani guruittani instructive — — comitative — guruineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative gurusi gurusi accusative nom. gurusi gurusi gen. gurusi genitive gurusi gurujesi partitive guruasi gurujasi inessive gurussasi guruissasi elative gurustasi guruistasi illative guruusi guruihisi adessive gurullasi guruillasi ablative gurultasi guruiltasi allative gurullesi guruillesi essive gurunasi guruinasi translative guruksesi guruiksesi abessive guruttasi guruittasi instructive — — comitative — guruinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative gurumme gurumme accusative nom. gurumme gurumme gen. gurumme genitive gurumme gurujemme partitive guruamme gurujamme inessive gurussamme guruissamme elative gurustamme guruistamme illative guruumme guruihimme adessive gurullamme guruillamme ablative gurultamme guruiltamme allative gurullemme guruillemme essive gurunamme guruinamme translative guruksemme guruiksemme abessive guruttamme guruittamme instructive — — comitative — guruinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative gurunne gurunne accusative nom. gurunne gurunne gen. gurunne genitive gurunne gurujenne partitive guruanne gurujanne inessive gurussanne guruissanne elative gurustanne guruistanne illative guruunne guruihinne adessive gurullanne guruillanne ablative gurultanne guruiltanne allative gurullenne guruillenne essive gurunanne guruinanne translative guruksenne guruiksenne abessive guruttanne guruittanne instructive — — comitative — guruinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative gurunsa gurunsa accusative nom. gurunsa gurunsa gen. gurunsa genitive gurunsa gurujensa partitive guruaan guruansa gurujaan gurujansa inessive gurussaan gurussansa guruissaan guruissansa elative gurustaan gurustansa guruistaan guruistansa illative guruunsa guruihinsa adessive gurullaan gurullansa guruillaan guruillansa ablative gurultaan gurultansa guruiltaan guruiltansa allative gurulleen gurullensa guruilleen guruillensa essive gurunaan gurunansa guruinaan guruinansa translative gurukseen guruksensa guruikseen guruiksensa abessive guruttaan guruttansa guruittaan guruittansa instructive — — comitative — guruineen guruinensa

Further reading

• “guru”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[4] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2 July 2023

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡu.ʁu/

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

Noun

guru m (plural gurus)

1. alternative spelling of gourou

Hausa

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡúː.rúː/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [ɡʷúː.rúː]

Noun

gūr̃ū m (plural gūr̃ā̀yē, possessed form gūr̃un)

1. A large leather belt, usually containing charms.

Hungarian

Etymology

From Hindi गुरु (guru), from Sanskrit गुरु (guru, “heavy”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɡuru]
• Hyphenation: gu‧ru
• Rhymes: -ru

Noun

guru (plural guruk)

1. guru (a Hindu or Sikh spiritual teacher)
2. guru (leader or expert in a field)

   Synonyms: tanító, mester, tanítómester

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)

	singular	plural
nominative	guru	guruk
accusative	gurut	gurukat
dative	gurunak	guruknak
instrumental	guruval	gurukkal
causal-final	guruért	gurukért
translative	guruvá	gurukká
terminative	guruig	gurukig
essive-formal	guruként	gurukként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	guruban	gurukban
superessive	gurun	gurukon
adessive	gurunál	guruknál
illative	guruba	gurukba
sublative	gurura	gurukra
allative	guruhoz	gurukhoz
elative	guruból	gurukból
delative	gururól	gurukról
ablative	gurutól	guruktól
non-attributive possessive – singular	gurué	guruké
non-attributive possessive – plural	guruéi	gurukéi

Possessive forms of guru

possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	gurum	guruim
2nd person sing.	gurud	guruid
3rd person sing.	guruja	gurui
1st person plural	gurunk	guruink
2nd person plural	gurutok	guruitok
3rd person plural	gurujuk	guruik

Indonesian

Alternative forms

• goeroe (1901–1947)

Etymology

From Malay guru, via Old Javanese, ultimately Sanskrit गुरु (gurú, “guru, teacher, sage”), from Proto-Indo-Aryan *gr̥Húṣ, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *gr̥Húš, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷr̥h₂ús (“heavy”). Doublet of brutal and bruto.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈɡuru/ [ˈɡu.ru]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uru
• Syllabification: gu‧ru

Noun

guru (plural guru-guru or para guru)

1. (education) teacher: a person who teaches, especially one employed in a school
   1. specifically, graduate of teacher professional education
2. guru: a spiritual teacher who transmits knowledge to a shishya

Derived terms

• berguru
• digurui
• keguruan
• menggurui
• perguruan

Compounds

• guru agama
• guru baku
• guru bantu
• guru besar
• guru honorer
• guru kepala
• guru kula
• guru lagu
• guru mengaji
• guru penolong
• guru sekolah
• guru suara
• guru tetap
• guru wilangan

Further reading

• “guru”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Italian

Etymology

From Hindi गुरू (gurū, “teacher”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡu.ru/
• Rhymes: -uru
• Hyphenation: gù‧ru

Noun

guru m (invariable)

1. a guru (religious or spiritual leader; influential person)

Anagrams

• Urgu

Javanese

Romanization

guru

1. romanization of ꦒꦸꦫꦸ

Latin

Noun

gū̆rū

1. ablative singular of gū̆rus

Lindu

Noun

guru

1. teacher

Maguindanao

Etymology

Etymology tree

Sanskrit गुरु (gurú)

Malay gurubor.

Maguindanao guru

Borrowed from Malay guru, from Sanskrit गुरु (gurú).

Noun

guru

1. teacher; instructor

Malay

Etymology

From Sanskrit गुरु (gurú, “teacher, sage”) via Old Javanese, from Proto-Indo-Aryan *gr̥Húṣ, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *gr̥Húš, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷr̥h₂ús (“heavy”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (Malaysia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -u

Noun

guru (Jawi spelling ݢورو, plural guru-guru)

1. educator, teacher, instructor

Derived terms

• berguru
• cikgu
• keguruan
• perguruan

Compounds

• guru agama
• guru besar
• guru kepala
• guru kula
• guru mengaji
• guru pembantu
• guru penolong
• guru sekolah
• guru suara
• guru tetap

Descendants

• Indonesian: guru
• → Tagalog: gulo, → guro (learned)

References

• Edi Sedyawati; Ellya Iswati; Kusparyati Boedhijono; Dyah Widjajanti D. (1994), Kosakata Bahasa Sanskerta dalam Bahasa Melayu Masa Kini, Jakarta, Indonesia: Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa. Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia, →ISBN, page 76
• Pijnappel, Jan (1875), “ݢورو goeroe”, in Maleisch-Hollandsch woordenboek, John Enschede en Zonen, Frederik Muller, page 108
• Wilkinson, Richard James (1901), “ݢورو guru”, in A Malay-English dictionary, Hong Kong: Kelly & Walsh limited, page 581
• Wilkinson, Richard James (1932), “guru”, in A Malay-English dictionary (romanised), volume I, Mytilene, Greece: Salavopoulos & Kinderlis, page 383

Further reading

• "guru" in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu (PRPM) [Malay Literary Reference Centre (PRPM)] (in Malay), Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017
  (also see "guru" at PRPM first version)

Mapudungun

A red fox (Vulpes vulpes).

Alternative forms

• gvrv

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ŋʊʐʊ/

Noun

guru (Raguileo spelling)

1. A fox

Old Javanese

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit गुरु (guru).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡu.ru/
• Rhymes: -ru
• Hyphenation: gu‧ru

Noun

guru

1. teacher
2. long syllable

Derived terms

• aguron-guron
• aguru
• kaguruninyan
• makaguru
• pinakaguru

• Bhaṭāra Guru
• guru deśa
• guru hyaṅ
• guru kaki
• guru loka
• guru nini
• guru pitarā
• guru wana
• gurubhakti
• gurudakṣiṇa
• gurudroha
• gurudrohaka
• gurudṛwya
• gurugaṇa
• gurukulawāsi
• gurulaṅghyana
• gurumbhāgi
• gurumukha
• gurupatnī
• guruputra
• guruputrī
• gurutah
• gurutalpaka
• gurutattwa
• guruwacana
• guruwaktra
• guruwinda
• guruyāga
• guruśikṣā
• guruśuśrūṣa
• gurūpacaraṇa
• gurūpadeśa

Descendants

• Javanese: guru
• → Balinese: guru

Further reading

• "guru" in P.J. Zoetmulder with the collaboration of S.O. Robson, Old Javanese-English Dictionary. 's-Gravenhage: M. Nijhoff, 1982.

Old Khmer

Noun

guru

1. Latin script form of គុរុ (“teacher, pedagogue; spiritual preceptor”)

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• 𑀕𑀼𑀭𑀼 (Brahmi script)
• गुरु (Devanagari script)
• গুরু (Bengali script)
• ගුරු (Sinhalese script)
• ဂုရု or ၷုရု (Burmese script)
• คุรุ (Thai script)
• ᨣᩩᩁᩩ (Tai Tham script)
• ຄຸຣຸ (Lao script)
• គុរុ (Khmer script)
• 𑄉𑄪𑄢𑄪 (Chakma script)

Etymology

Cognate with Sanskrit गुरु (guru). It is an assimilatory modification of garu.

Adjective

guru

1. heavy
2. venerable

Declension

Declension table of "guru" (masculine)

Case / Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	guru	guravo or gurū
Accusative (second)	guruṃ	guravo or gurū
Instrumental (third)	gurunā	gurūhi or gurūbhi
Dative (fourth)	gurussa or guruno	gurūnaṃ
Ablative (fifth)	gurusmā or gurumhā	gurūhi or gurūbhi
Genitive (sixth)	gurussa or guruno	gurūnaṃ
Locative (seventh)	gurusmiṃ or gurumhi	gurūsu
Vocative (calling)	guru	gurave or guravo

Declension table of "gurunī" (feminine)

Case / Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	gurunī	guruniyo or gurunī
Accusative (second)	guruniṃ or guruniyaṃ	guruniyo or gurunī
Instrumental (third)	guruniyā	gurunīhi or gurunībhi
Dative (fourth)	guruniyā	gurunīnaṃ
Ablative (fifth)	guruniyā	gurunīhi or gurunībhi
Genitive (sixth)	guruniyā	gurunīnaṃ
Locative (seventh)	guruniyā or guruniyaṃ	gurunīsu
Vocative (calling)	guruni	guruniyo or gurunī

Declension table of "guru" (neuter)

Case / Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	guru	gurūni or gurū
Accusative (second)	guruṃ	gurūni or gurū
Instrumental (third)	gurunā	gurūhi or gurūbhi
Dative (fourth)	gurussa or guruno	gurūnaṃ
Ablative (fifth)	gurusmā or gurumhā	gurūhi or gurūbhi
Genitive (sixth)	gurussa or guruno	gurūnaṃ
Locative (seventh)	gurusmiṃ or gurumhi	gurūsu
Vocative (calling)	guru	gurūni or gurū

Noun

guru m

1. teacher (clarification of this definition is needed)

Declension

Declension table of "guru" (masculine)

Case / Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	guru	guravo or gurū
Accusative (second)	guruṃ	guravo or gurū
Instrumental (third)	gurunā	gurūhi or gurūbhi
Dative (fourth)	gurussa or guruno	gurūnaṃ
Ablative (fifth)	gurusmā or gurumhā	gurūhi or gurūbhi
Genitive (sixth)	gurussa or guruno	gurūnaṃ
Locative (seventh)	gurusmiṃ or gurumhi	gurūsu
Vocative (calling)	guru	gurave or guravo

References

Pali Text Society (1921–1925), “guru”, in Pali-English Dictionary‎, London: Chipstead

Polish

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindi गुरू (gurū) / Urdu گرو (guru) / Punjabi ਗੁਰੂ (gurū), from Sanskrit गुरु (gurú), from Proto-Indo-Aryan *gr̥Húṣ, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *gr̥Húš, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷr̥h₂ús (“heavy”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡu.ru/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uru
• Syllabification: gu‧ru

Noun

guru m pers (indeclinable)

1. (Hinduism) guru (spiritual teacher)
2. guru (advisor or mentor)

Further reading

• “guru”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[5] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “guru”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[6] (in Polish)

Portuguese

Etymology

From Sanskrit गुरु (gurú, “venerable, respectable”), originally "heavy", from Proto-Indo-European *gʷréh₂us. Doublet of bruto.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ɡuˈɾu/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɡuˈɾu/

• Rhymes: -u
• Hyphenation: gu‧ru

Noun

guru m (plural gurus)

1. guru (spiritual teacher)

Noun

guru m or f by sense (plural gurus)

1. guru (advisor, mentor)

Related terms

• baro-
• grave

Further reading

• “guru”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “guru”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from English guru or French gourou.

Noun

guru m (plural guru)

1. guru

Declension

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	guru	guruul	guru	gurui
genitive-dative	guru	guruului	guru	gurulor
vocative	guruule		gurulor

Serbo-Croatian

Noun

gȕru m anim (Cyrillic spelling гу̏ру)

1. guru

Declension

Declension of guru

	singular	plural
nominative	gȕru	gurui
genitive	gȕrua	gurua
dative	guruu	guruima
accusative	gurua	gurue
vocative	guruu	gurui
locative	guruu	guruima
instrumental	guruom	guruima

Slovak

Etymology

Derived from Hindi गुरू (gurū) / Urdu گرو (guru), from Sanskrit गुरु (guru, “venerable, respectable”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡuru/, [ˈɡuru]
• Rhymes: -uru
• Hyphenation: gu‧ru

Noun

guru m pers

1. guru

Usage notes

May also be indeclinable.

Declension

Declension of guru
(pattern chlap)

	singular	plural
nominative	guru	guruovia
genitive	gurua	guruov
dative	guruovi	guruom
accusative	gurua	guruov
locative	guruovi	guruoch
instrumental	guruom	guruami

Further reading

• “guru”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2026

Swahili

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindi गुड़ (guṛ, “jaggery”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Noun

guru

1. only used in sukari guru (“jaggery”)

Swedish

Etymology

From Hindi गुरू (gurū), from Sanskrit गुरु (guru, “heavy”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡʉ̟ːrɵ/
• Rhymes: -ʉːrɵ

Noun

guru c

1. guru

Declension

Declension of guru

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	guru	gurus
	definite	gurun	guruns
plural	indefinite	gurur, guruer, gurus	gururs, guruers, gurus
	definite	gururna, guruernas	gururnas, guruernas

References

• “guru”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)

Toba Batak

Noun

guru

1. teacher

Derived terms

• marguru
• parguru

References

• J. Warneck (1906), Tobabataksch-Deutsches Wörterbuch‎^[7], Batavia: Landsdrukkerij, page 80

Yakan

Noun

guru

1. teacher (of spiritual matters or martial arts)