nirvana

UK: /nɪəˈvɑːnə/

US: /nɪrˈvɑnə, -ˈvænə, nɚ-/

US: (nir vä′nə, -van′ə, nər-)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

nir•va•na /nɪrˈvɑnə, -ˈvænə, nɚ-/   n. [uncountable]

1. Eastern Religions [often: Nirvana] (in Buddhism ) the final release from the cycle of being reborn again, that comes as a result of the ending of individual passion and hatred;
   salvation.
2. a place or state in which there is freedom from pain and worry.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

nir•va•na  (nir vä′nə, -van′ə, nər-), n. 

1. (often cap.) Pali, nibbana. [Buddhism.] freedom from the endless cycle of personal reincarnations, with their consequent suffering, as a result of the extinction of individual passion, hatred, and delusion: attained by the Arhat as his goal but postponed by the Bodhisattva.
2. (often cap.) [Hinduism.] salvation through the union of Atman with Brahma;
   moksha.
3. a place or state characterized by freedom from or oblivion to pain, worry, and the external world.

• Sanskrit nirvāṇa
• 1830–40

nir•va′nic, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

nirvana / nɪəˈvɑːnə nɜː-/ noun

1. final release from the cycle of reincarnation attained by extinction of all desires and individual existence, culminating (in Buddhism) in absolute blessedness, or (in Hinduism) in absorption into Brahman

Etymology: 19th Century: from Sanskrit: extinction, literally: a blowing out, from nir- out + vāti it blows