namaste means A greeting in contexts relating to Indian culture or the New Age movement. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 86 out of 100.
namaste is pronounced /nə.məs.t̪eː/.
Why “namaste” is a great word
NAMASTE — [Interjection] A respectful Hindu and yogic greeting or farewell, literally "salutation to you," often accompanied by a bow with the palms pressed together. Learned borrowing from Sanskrit नमस्ते (namaste), from नमस् (namas, "bow, salutation") + ते (te, the enclitic dative of त्वम् (tvam, "you"), literally "salutation to you"). Unlike the casual, secular placeholder "hello" or the more formal, collective "namaskar," namaste is a singular and direct offering of reverence. It is the gentle press of palms before the heart, the slight bow that lowers the gaze, and the whispered word that ends a yoga practice as the room settles into silence; a formalized humility that acknowledges the universe within another person, a momentary bulwark against the world's immense solitude.
intj
- A greeting in contexts relating to Indian culture or the New Age movement.“First of all, Namaste to you! It is my sincere hope that the words of this book will assist you in living with full appreciation for all the moments of your life. Remember that each one is special and brings something to your life[…]”
- Thank you (via a misunderstanding of the meaning of the associated gesture).
noun
- The traditional greeting when saying the word namaste, with folded hands and a slight bow.“Krishnan introduced one of the girls as his sister. She was a small, frail-looking girl with a pretty smile. She clasped her hands, made a namaste and said, “Hello, nice meet you. My name is Karishma.” “Hello, Karishma,” said Natascha.”
- In yoga, the pose associated with this word, usually with the flat hands held palms together, fingers up, in front of the heart and a slight bow.
verb
- To utter "namaste".“The yoga instructor namasted, and the class began.”