# guru
## English
### Alternative forms

* goru [17th–19th c.]
* gooroo [19th c.]
* guroo (archaic)

### Etymology

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: /ˈɡʊɹuː/, /ˈɡuːɹuː/, /ɡʊˈɹuː/
** Audio (Southern England):(file)
* (US) IPA: /ˈɡʊɹ(ˌ)u/, /ˈɡu(ˌ)ɹu/, /ɡəˈɹu/
** Audio (Mid-Atlantic US):(file)
* Rhymes: -ʊɹuː, -uːɹuː, -uː

### Noun

guru (plural gurus or guru)
* 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, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-09-24:Traditionally, a guru is a spiritual teacher who guides a student on the road to Enlightenment, or finding God.
* (India) Any general teacher (as a term of respect).
* (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.
* (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: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
* gurudom
* guruhood
* guruism
* guruji
* gurulike
* guruship
* tech guru

#### Related terms

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

#### Translations
### Verb

guru (third-person singular simple present gurus, present participle guruing, simple past and past participle gurued)
* To act as a guru; to give wise advice

### References

* ↑ “Advaya Taraka Upanishad(English Translation)”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎, 2011 December 15 (last accessed), archived from the original on 6 February 2012

## Blagar
### Noun

guru
* 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: (Central, Balearic, Valencia) [ˈɡu.ɾu]

### Noun

guru m (plural gurus)
* guru (spiritual teacher)

### Further reading

* “guru” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

## Czech
### Noun

guru m anim
* guru (spiritual teacher)
* guru (leader or expert in a field)

#### Declension

Also indeclinable.

## Finnish
### Etymology

Ultimately from Sanskrit गुरु (guru).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈɡuru/, [ˈɡuru]
* Rhymes: -uru
* Hyphenation: gu‧ru

### Noun

guru
* A guru

#### Declension

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]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

## French
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɡu.ʁu/
* Audio:(file)

### Noun

guru m (plural gurus)
* Alternative spelling of gourou

## Hausa
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɡúː.rúː/
** (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA: [ɡʷúː.rúː]

### Noun

gūr̃ū m (plural gūr̃ā̀yē, possessed form gūr̃un)
* A large leather belt, usually containing charms.

## Hungarian
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈɡuru]
* Hyphenation: gu‧ru
* Rhymes: -ru

### Noun

guru (plural guruk)
* guru (a Hindu or Sikh spiritual teacher)
* guru (leader or expert in a field)
    Synonyms: tanító, mester, tanítómester

#### Declension
### References

* ↑ guru in Tótfalusi, István. Magyar etimológiai nagyszótár (’Hungarian Comprehensive Dictionary of Etymology’). Budapest: Arcanum Adatbázis, 2001; Arcanum DVD Könyvtár →ISBN

## Indonesian
### Alternative forms

* goeroe (1901–1947)

### Etymology

From Malay guru, 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: /ˈɡuru/ [ˈɡu.ru]
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -uru
* Syllabification: gu‧ru

### Noun

guru (plural)
* (education) teacher: a person who teaches, especially one employed in a school
** specifically, graduate of teacher professional education
* 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, 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: /ˈɡu.ru/
* Rhymes: -uru
* Hyphenation: gù‧ru

### Noun

guru m (invariable)
* a guru (religious or spiritual leader; influential person)

### Anagrams

* Urgu

## Javanese
### Romanization

guru
* Romanization of ꦒꦸꦫꦸ

## Latin
### Noun

gū̆rū
* ablative singular of gū̆rus

## Lindu
### Noun

guru
* teacher

## Maguindanao
### Etymology

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

### Noun

guru
* 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, informal 1st possessive guruku, 2nd possessive gurumu, 3rd possessive gurunya)
* 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 | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

## Mapudungun
### Alternative forms

* gvrv

### Pronunciation

IPA: /ŋʊʐʊ/

### Noun

guru (Raguileo spelling)
* A fox

## Old Javanese
### Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit गुरु (guru).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɡu.ru/
* Rhymes: -ru
* Hyphenation: gu‧ru

### Noun

guru
* teacher
* 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: ꦒꦸꦫꦸ (guru)
* → Balinese: ᬕᬸᬭᬸ (guru)

### Further reading

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

## Pali
### Alternative forms

* 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
* heavy
* venerable

#### Declension
### Noun

guru m
* teacher (clarification of this definition is needed)

#### Declension
### 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: /ˈɡu.ru/
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -uru
* Syllabification: gu‧ru

### Noun

guru m pers (indeclinable)
* (Hinduism) guru (spiritual teacher)
* guru (advisor or mentor)

### Further reading

* guru in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
* guru in Polish dictionaries at PWN

## Portuguese
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* (Brazil) IPA: /ɡuˈɾu/
* (Portugal) IPA: /ɡuˈɾu/
* Rhymes: -u
* Hyphenation: gu‧ru

### Noun

guru m (plural gurus)
* guru (spiritual teacher)

### Noun

guru m or f by sense (plural gurus)
* guru (advisor, mentor)

### Related terms

* baro-
* grave

## Romanian
### Etymology

Borrowed from English guru or French gourou.

### Noun

guru m (plural guru)
* guru

#### Declension
## Serbo-Croatian
### Noun

gȕru m (Cyrillic spelling гу̏ру)
* guru

#### Declension
## Slovak
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈɡuru]

### Noun

guru m pers
* guru

#### Usage notes

May also be indeclineable.

#### Declension
### 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, 2003–2025

## Swahili
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* Audio (Kenya):(file)

### Noun

guru
* Only used in sukari guru (“jaggery”)

## Swedish
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈɡʉ̟ːrɵ/
* Rhymes: -ʉːrɵ

### Noun

guru c
* guru

#### Declension
### References

* guru in Svensk ordbok (SO)

## Toba Batak
### Noun

guru
* teacher

#### Derived terms

* marguru
* parguru

### References

* J. Warneck (1906) Tobabataksch-Deutsches Wörterbuch‎, Batavia: Landsdrukkerij, page 80

## Yakan
### Noun

guru
* teacher (of spiritual matters or martial arts)