Meaning

A greeting in contexts relating to Indian culture or the New Age movement..

Definitions by Sense

1. A greeting in contexts relating to Indian culture or the New Age movement.
2. (proscribed) Thank you (via a misunderstanding of the meaning of the associated gesture).
3. The traditional greeting when saying the word namaste, with folded hands and a slight bow.
4. 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.
5. (intransitive) To utter "namaste".

Example Sentences

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[…]

I shuffled from one foot to the other outside the room, as I delayed going in. Finally, I took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and knocked on the door. 'Come in.' It seemed that Vimla was expecting me. 'Namaste.' She said, and gestured for me ...

"What a lovely wedding for you both. Namaste," he said, his hands in prayer formation, his smile wide and confident and sincere. “Congratulations to you both.” “Thank you, Father,” Brian said. “Namaste to you, sir,” Priya added.

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.

The yoga instructor namasted, and the class began.

Word Forms

• namastes
• namasteing
• namasted

Related Words

When Should You Use Namaste?

Use namaste when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

Practice This Word

Frequently Asked Questions