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ashram

a spiritual hermitage or retreat, especially in the Hindu tradition

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Where does the word "ashram" come from? It comes from Sanskrit ashrama, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "ashram" come from? It comes from Sanskrit ashrama, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Ashram’s story begins in Sanskrit: ashrama meant “a spiritual retreat.” A hermitage or spiritual retreat. It reached English by 1900s as ashram. Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram, founded in 1917, made the word known worldwide. Today, ashram means a spiritual hermitage or retreat, especially in the Hindu tradition.

  1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient ashrama "a spiritual retreat", a hermitage or spiritual retreat.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1900s ashram "a spiritual community or retreat", Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram, founded in 1917, made the word known worldwide.

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