Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

guru

/ˈɡʊɹ(ˌ)u/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.82 in modern English

Syllables
gu-ru
IPA
/ˈɡʊɹ(ˌ)u/
5
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
2
Syllables
3
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Any general teacher (as a term of respect).

Indian usage

noun

An influential advisor or mentor.

Humorous

noun

A fraudster or conman relying on a projected air of confidence in an obscure field.

Derogatory

verb

To act as a guru; to give wise advice

Example Sentences

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindi गुरु (guru) / Punjabi ਗੁਰੂ (gurū), from Sanskrit गुरु (guru, “venerable, respectable”), originally "heavy" and in this sense cognate to English grieve and, more distantly, brute. Doublet of grave. A traditional, though flawed etymology based on the Advayataraka Upanishad (line 16) describes the syllables gu as “darkness” and ru as “destroyer”, thus ascribing the meaning of “one who destroys/dispels darkness” to the word.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *gʷreh₂-, ਗੁਰੂ, गुरु

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈɡʊɹ(ˌ)u/
  • British English: /ˈɡʊɹuː/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce guru?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɡʊɹ(ˌ)u/.
What does guru mean?
In Indian traditions: a spiritual teacher who transmits knowledge to a shishya.
Where does guru come from?
It is traced to Sanskrit.

How to pronounce guru

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “guru”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɡʊɹ(ˌ)u/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “guru”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “guru” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.