Bonzō
/boɴ.d͡zoː/noun
A Buddhist monk or priest, especially in Japanese usage.
Did you know?Japanese bonzō combines 梵, referring to Brahma or Brahmanical sacred tradition, with 僧, meaning monk; its European form entered English through Portuguese missionaries.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient India
Sanskrit
brahman
“Sacred power, prayer, or the ultimate spiritual reality; the source of the first element in the later term.”
Medieval China
Chinese
梵僧 (fàn-sēng)
“A Brahmanical or Indian monk; 梵 refers to Brahma/Brahman and 僧 means monk.”
Medieval Japan
Japanese
梵僧 (bonzō)
“A Buddhist monk or priest, literally a Brahman-associated monk.”
16th Century
Portuguese
bonzo
“A Buddhist priest or monk, borrowed from Japanese through Portuguese contact in Asia.”
16th–17th Century
English
bonze
“A Buddhist priest or monk; the form established in English after entering through Portuguese.”
Modern Japanese
Japanese
bonzō
“A Buddhist priest or monk, especially in historical, literary, or explanatory usage.”