- the complex of beliefs, values, and customs comprising the dominant religion of India, characterized by the worship of many gods, including Brahma as supreme being, a caste system, belief in reincarnation, etc
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
Hin•du•ism /ˈhɪnduˌɪzəm/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Eastern Religionsthe common religion of India, based upon the religion set out in ancient texts which teach that one returns after death in another form.
Hin•du•ism
(hin′do̅o̅ iz′əm),USA pronunciation n.
- Eastern Religionsthe common religion of India, based upon the religion of the original Aryan settlers as expounded and evolved in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad-Gita, etc., having an extremely diversified character with many schools of philosophy and theology, many popular cults, and a large pantheon symbolizing the many attributes of a single god. Buddhism and Jainism are outside the Hindu tradition but are regarded as related religions.
- Hindu + -ism 1820–30
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Hinduism, Hindooism /ˈhɪndʊˌɪzəm/ n
'Hinduism' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Brahmanism
- deva
- Hare Krishna
- Hindu
- Hindustan
- Kabir
- Nepal
- nirvana
- Sanskrit
- shastra
- Sikh
- Tantrism
- Veda
- Aditya
- Advaita
- agama
- ahankara
- ahimsa
- Ahura
- Alvar
- ananda
- Annapurna
- aparavidya
- Aranyaka
- Arjuna
- Asat
- ashram
- asrama
- Atharva-Veda
- atman
- AUM
- avidya
- Bhagavad-Gita
- bhajan
- bhakti
- bhakti-marga
- Brahma
- brahmachari
- brahmacharya
- Brahmajnana
- Brahmaloka
- Brahman
- Brahmana
- Brahmin
- buddhi
- caste
- chit
- cit
- citta
- class