dharma means the natural order of the universe; natural law, cosmic order. It carries an Arena rating of 1500, earned across 2 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, dharma ranks #2,328 of 14,438 for Most Storied Words, #2,517 of 14,440 for Most Satisfying to Say, #2,531 of 14,297 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #2,580 of 14,456 for The Improbable.
dharma is pronounced /d̪hərm(ɑ)/.
Why “dharma” is a great word
The eternal principle of natural and moral law that upholds the cosmic order, one's righteous duty within it, and, in Buddhism, the teachings of the Buddha. Learned borrowing from Sanskrit धर्म (dhárma, "that which upholds or supports"), from the root धृ (dhṛ, "to hold, maintain, keep"). Unlike "karma," which concerns the specific causal ledger of actions and their future fruits, or "law," a codified, human-made edict, dharma is the inherent, universal blueprint for righteous conduct and cosmic harmony. It is the wheel of seasons turning without fail, the warrior facing battle with sorrowful resolve, and the monk's begging bowl accepted as gift and obligation—the profound, often silent, order that makes the world cohere.
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Sanskrit धर्म (dhárma, “that which upholds or supports”). The definitions pertaining to Buddhism are influenced by dhamma, a loan word from Pali. Doublet of dhamma and firm.
noun
- The natural order of the universe; natural law, cosmic order.
- One's obligation in respect to one's position in society, or the universe; one's duty, societally or cosmically.
- The teachings of the Buddha as one's personal path to enlightenment.
- The teachings of the Buddha as a practice to be promulgated and taught.
- Rule of conduct.“Jain ethical code prescribes two dharmas or rules of conduct.”
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- dhamma 91% match — The teachings of Buddha. vs dharma →
- dharmic 90% match — Of, relating to, or practicing Dharmism. vs dharma →
- adharma 88% match — That which is not in accord with dharma, i.e. wrong, immorality, and wickedness. vs dharma →
- dharmachakra 88% match — The wheel of dharma (natural law; cosmic order), a motif in dharmic religions. vs dharma →
- cosmos 84% match — The universe regarded as a system with harmony and order. vs dharma →
- vinaya 84% match — The rules that regulate Buddhist monastic life. vs dharma →
- kartavya 83% match — A duty, obligation, task. vs dharma →
- purushartha 83% match — Any of four proper goals or aims of a human life: dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. vs dharma →