Sumeru
/suːˈmeɪ.ruː/noun
A sacred cosmic mountain at the center of the universe in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain cosmology.
Did you know?In Buddhist cosmology, Mount Sumeru rises through multiple heavenly realms and is encircled by continents, oceans, and the sun and moon.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁su-
“Good, well, or excellent; a proposed ancient source for Sanskrit su-”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
su-
“A prefix meaning good, excellent, or auspicious”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Meru
“The mythic cosmic mountain; the deeper origin of the name is uncertain”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sumeru
“The excellent or magnificent Meru”
Ancient Chinese
Chinese
須彌山 (Xūmí shān)
“Mount Sumeru, as transmitted through Buddhist texts”
Medieval Buddhist English usage
English
Sumeru
“A transliteration used in English writing on Buddhist cosmology”
Modern English
English
Sumeru
“The sacred world-mountain believed to stand at the universe’s center”