Om

Part of speech: noun, interjection

Definitions

1. A sacred syllable chanted as a mantra in Hindu and Buddhist meditation and prayer
2. The mystical sound chanted during Hindu and Buddhist worship, regarded as the sound of the universe
3. A sacred vocal sound, usually intoned at the start or end of yoga and meditation sessions

Etymology: The syllable "om" is one of the few sacred sounds in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, and its written symbol, ॐ, is the Devanagari character used to represent it. In Indian religious practice the sound is chanted at the start and end of prayers and meditation, and it is treated as a sound that stands for the whole of reality rather than as a word with a dictionary meaning. The English noun is a direct borrowing of that sacred syllable, and it is in ordinary use in the English-speaking world mainly through yoga and meditation. Its spelling varies with the tradition: "om" is the form used in both Buddhist and Hindu settings, while "aum" is the form usually found in Jain and Hindu contexts, reflecting the three sounds a, u and m that the syllable is traditionally analysed into.

Synonyms: aum