guru

noun

gu·​ru ˈgu̇r-(ˌ)ü 

ˈgü-(ˌ)rü,

 also  gə-ˈrü

plural gurus

1

: a personal religious teacher and spiritual guide in Hinduism

2

a

: a teacher and especially intellectual guide in matters of fundamental concern

has been a guru to many young writers

b

: one who is an acknowledged leader or chief proponent

became the guru of the movement

c

: a person with knowledge or expertise : expert

a computer guru

Did you know?

In Hinduism, a guru is a personal spiritual teacher. In ancient India, knowledge of the Vedas (a body of liturgical literature) was transmitted orally from guru to pupil. The rise of the bhakti movement, which emphasizes the love of devotees for a personal god, further increased the importance of gurus, who were often looked on as living embodiments of spiritual truth and were identified with the deity. Gurus prescribe spiritual disciplines to their devotees, who follow their dictates in a tradition of service and obedience. Men or women may be gurus, though generally only men have established lineages.

Synonyms

• ace
• adept
• artist
• authority
• cognoscente
• connoisseur
• crackerjack
• crackajack
• dab [chiefly British]
• dab hand [chiefly British]
• expert
• fiend
• geek
• hand
• hotshot
• maestro
• master
• maven
• mavin
• meister
• past master
• proficient
• scholar
• shark
• sharp
• virtuoso
• whiz
• wizard

Examples of guru in a Sentence

He has been a guru to many young writers.

She's a self-proclaimed financial guru.

Fitness gurus call it the hottest new exercise trend of the year.

Recent Examples on the Web

Hairstylist Kevin Kelly and makeup guru Darian Marie Horn gave Rachel a glam look, her dark locks pulled back in a relaxed updo with flowing waves and her cheeks and lips kissed with the softest of pinks. —Dave Quinn, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025

And while some fans and film gurus will say the offense looked better under interim coordinator Scott Turner and his father Norv, the facts are the facts: The Raiders averaged 17.9 points in nine games with Getsy and 17.6 in eight games with Turner, who had a healthier offensive line. —Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025

In the 2023 series, which was canceled after one season, Depp played pop star Jocelyn, who returns to the limelight after a nervous breakdown forced her to cancel her last tour, becoming involved with self-help guru Tedros (The Weeknd) and his cult. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 4 Jan. 2025

So is Marianne Williamson, a spiritual guru and author who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2020 and 2024. —Andrew Solender, Axios, 3 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Hindi (or another Indo-Aryan vernacular language), borrowed from Sanskrit gurúḥ "highly respected person, teacher, spiritual guide," noun derivative of gurúḥ "heavy, weighty, venerable" — more at grave entry 2

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

guru

noun

gu·​ru gə-ˈrü 

ˈgu̇(ə)r-ü

1

: a personal religious teacher and spiritual guide in Hinduism

2

a

: a person that is generally recognized as a leader or teacher

b

: a person with knowledge and expertise : expert

Etymology

from gurū, a word in Hindi (the major language in India) meaning "Hindu teacher or spiritual guide," derived from Sanskrit guru (adjective) "worthy of respect"