Vaishnava

noun

Vaish·​na·​va ˈvīsh-nə-və How to pronounce Vaishnava (audio)
: a worshipper of Vishnu in any of his forms or incarnations
Vaishnava adjective
Vaishnavism noun

Examples of Vaishnava in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
There are for example people today who are half-Chinese & half-English devotees of Vaishnava Hinduism. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 14 July 2010

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Sanskrit vaiṣṇava- "of Vishnu," derivative of Viṣṇu vishnu

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Vaishnava was in 1808

Dictionary Entries Near Vaishnava

Cite this Entry

“Vaishnava.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Vaishnava. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!