brahman

IPA/ˈbrɑː.mən/
KK[brˈɑmən]IPA/ˈbrɑː.mən/

brahman — noun

  • brahmansingular
  • brahmansplural

1. a person from the highest social group in the traditional Hindu caste system, es

1.nounC2
Definition

a person from the highest social group in the traditional Hindu caste system, especially one linked with priestly duties.

Example

Christopher asked whether the temple priest came from a brahman family.

a brahman family

Sana read about a brahman boy studying sacred texts with his uncle.

Common collocations
  • a brahman family
  • a brahman priest
  • young brahmans
  • high-caste brahmans
Synonyms
  • Brahmin

    the modern and much more common spelling for the same caste member

  • Hindu priest

    only fits when the person is serving a religious role; not every brahman is acting as a priest

  • pandit

    often stresses learning or religious scholarship more than caste background

Usage Note

Often appears in historical or religious writing about Hindu society. Modern general dictionaries more often use the spelling 'Brahmin' for this sense, but the meaning is the same.

Common Mistakes

Every Hindu man was a brahman.
Only people from the highest caste were called brahmans.
the word names one caste group, not all Hindus.

2. a large humped breed of cattle from India that is widely raised in hot regions f

2.nounC2
Definition

a large humped breed of cattle from India that is widely raised in hot regions for meat.

Example

Hui photographed a brahman grazing beside a dusty fence in Texas.

a brahman grazing

At the farm show, Anong compared the brahman with several local beef breeds.

Common collocations
  • a brahman bull
  • a brahman cow
  • brahman cattle
  • raise brahmans
Synonyms
  • zebu

    the broader cattle group; brahman is one famous breed within it

Usage Note

Usually used in farming or ranching contexts and often capitalized as 'Brahman' in breed names. It refers to one particular breed, not to humped cattle in general.

Common Mistakes

Every zebu is a brahman.
A brahman is one well-known breed of zebu cattle.
brahman names a specific breed, not every humped cow.

3. a person from an old and highly respected social group, especially in traditiona

3.nounC2
Definition

a person from an old and highly respected social group, especially in traditional Boston or New England society.

Example

Wren joked that only a brahman would complain about the club's silverware.

only a brahman would

Gabriel married into a Boston brahman family and learned their formal customs.

a Boston brahman family

Common collocations
  • a Boston brahman
  • a brahman family
  • brahman manners
  • old brahman circles
Synonyms
  • patrician

    a formal word for someone from an old upper-class family

  • blue blood

    broader and often used for upper-class or noble background in many countries

  • WASP

    overlaps in old New England settings but also carries ethnic and religious overtones

Antonyms
  • outsider

    someone outside the old social circle

Usage Note

Most often appears in the phrase 'Boston Brahmin' and refers to old family status rather than religion. Distinguish from sense 1: this American social label is a metaphor based on high rank, not a Hindu caste term.

Common Mistakes

He is a brahman because he is rich.
He is called a brahman because he comes from an old Boston elite family.
the word points to inherited social standing, not simply money.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Brahman' and 'Brahmin' usually point to the same caste member, but 'Brahmin' is the spelling most modern readers meet in general English. 'Priest' is much broader: a person from many religions can be called a priest, so it says nothing about caste background. 'Pandit' often stresses learning, scholarship, or expert commentary, while 'guru' points to a teacher or spiritual guide and can even be used jokingly outside religion. Use 'Brahman' when caste identity is the key fact. A history book may mention 'a Brahman family in Bengal', while a temple report may simply say 'a Hindu priest led the ceremony'.

Brahman ↗Brahmin ↗priest ↗panditguru ↗

Etymology

SanskritEnglish

The word comes from Sanskrit brahmana, the name for a member of the priestly class in Hindu society. English first used it for that caste member. From the idea of a highest social rank, American writers later created the figurative label 'Boston Brahman' for people from old New England elite families. In livestock English, Brahman also became the name of a beef breed developed from Indian humped cattle.

First known use

15th century

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a