sattva

noun

satt·​va

ˈsətvə

plural -s

: the purity and wisdom constituting one of the three gunas of Sankhya philosophy and leading to true enlightenment compare rajas, tamas

Word History

Etymology

Sanskrit, literally, existence, from sat, sant existing, true, good

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!