Brahmin
/ˈbrɑː.mɪn/noun
A member of the highest traditional Hindu varna, or a person of learned or priestly status.
Did you know?Brahmin is tied to Sanskrit *brāhmaṇa*, a term connected to *Brahman*—the sacred, ultimate reality in Hindu philosophy—so the word’s deepest roots point to spiritual authority, not just social rank.
Etymological Timeline
Vedic Sanskrit
Skt
brāhmaṇa
“a priest, Brahmin, or one belonging to the priestly class”
Classical Sanskrit
Skt
brāhmaṇa
“a Brahmin; also, a sacred or theological text in the Vedic tradition”
Prakrit / Middle Indo-Aryan
MIA
bāmaṇa / bamhaṇa
“a Brahmin”
Persian / Arabic mediation
Persian
barahman / brahman
“a Brahmin (as borrowed into some non-Indian languages and later European accounts)”
18th–19th Century
Eng
Brahmin
“an adopted English form referring to a Hindu priestly caste or learned elite”
Modern English
Eng
Brahmin
“a member of the highest Hindu social class; by extension, an intellectual or cultural elite”
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