Buddha
/ˈbʊdə/noun
A title meaning an enlightened being, especially Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism.
Did you know?In Sanskrit, *Buddha* comes from the root *budh-* meaning “to wake, know, perceive,” so the title literally frames enlightenment as a kind of awakening rather than a divine birthright.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰewdʰ-
“to be aware, to perceive, to wake up”
Proto-Indo-Iranian
PII
*budʰ-
“to awaken, notice”
Sanskrit
Sanskrit
buddha
“awakened, enlightened; one who has awakened to reality”
Pali
Pali
buddha
“awakened; the Buddha”
Modern English
English
Buddha
“the title of the historical Buddha or an enlightened being”