Jainism

J8A1I1N1I1S1M3
US/ˈd͡ʒeɪnɪzm̩/

proper noun

An ancient Dharmic religion, with a focus on nonviolence and personal effort to elevate the reincarnating soul towards moksha by liberating it from samsara.

“Jainism is similar to other eastern religions in believing in reincarnation.”

OriginEnglish Jain ← Sanskrit जैन (jaina) ← Proto-Indo-European *gʷey- →
UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. An ancient Dharmic religion, with a focus on nonviolence and personal effort to elevate the reincarnating soul towards moksha by liberating it from samsara.

    Jainism is similar to other eastern religions in believing in reincarnation.

    1 more example

    I know enough about Jainism to know that Jains are some of the most extreme vegetarians around.

    2020, Avni Doshi, Burnt Sugar, Hamish Hamilton, page 55
  2. human sciencesA nontheistic heterodox Indian philosophy

Synonyms & antonyms

Broader
religionphilosophy

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*gʷey-
  2. Sanskritजि (ji)
  3. Sanskritजिन (jina)vṛd.
  4. Sanskritजैन (jaina)
  5. EnglishJain
  6. EnglishJainism

From Jain + -ism.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic جَيْنِيَّة, جَايْنِيَّة
  • جَيْنِيَّة (jayniyya)religion and philosophy
  • جَايْنِيَّة (jayniyya)religion and philosophy
Bengali জৈন ধর্ম
  • জৈন ধর্ম (jōin dhormo)religion and philosophy
Catalan jainisme
  • jainismereligion and philosophy
Chinese Cantonese 耆那教
  • 耆那教 (kei⁴ naa⁵ gaau³)religion and philosophy
Chinese Mandarin 耆那教
  • 耆那教 (Qínà-jiào)religion and philosophy
Danish jainisme
  • jainismereligion and philosophy
Dutch Jaïnisme
  • Jaïnismereligion and philosophy
Esperanto ĝajnismo, ĝainismo
  • ĝajnismoreligion and philosophy
  • ĝainismoreligion and philosophy
Finnish jainalaisuus
  • jainalaisuusreligion and philosophy
French jaïnisme, djaïnisme
  • jaïnismereligion and philosophy
  • djaïnismereligion and philosophy
  • jinismereligion and philosophy
German Jainismus
  • Jainismusreligion and philosophy
Greek Τζαϊνισμός, Ζαϊνισμός
  • Τζαϊνισμός (Tzaïnismós)religion and philosophy
  • Ζαϊνισμός (Zaïnismós)religion and philosophy
Hebrew ג׳ייניזם
  • ג׳ייניזםreligion and philosophy
Hindi जैन धर्म
  • जैन धर्म (jain dharm)religion and philosophy
Hungarian dzsainizmus
  • dzsainizmusreligion and philosophy
Italian jainismo
  • jainismoreligion and philosophy
Japanese ジャイナ教
  • ジャイナ教 (Jaina-kyō)religion and philosophy
Korean 자이나교
  • 자이나교 (Jaina-gyo)religion and philosophy
Norwegian Bokmål Jainisme
  • Jainismereligion and philosophy
Persian جین
  • جینreligion and philosophy
Polish dżinizm
  • dżinizmreligion and philosophy
Portuguese jainismo
  • jainismoreligion and philosophy
Punjabi ਜੈਨ ਧਰਮ
  • ਜੈਨ ਧਰਮ (jain dharam)religion and philosophy
Russian джайнизм
  • джайнизм (džajnizm)religion and philosophy
Slovak džinizmus
  • džinizmusreligion and philosophy
Spanish jainismo
  • jainismoreligion and philosophy
Swedish jainism
  • jainismreligion and philosophy
Tagalog Hainismo
  • Hainismoreligion and philosophy
Tamil சைனம், சமணம்
  • சைனம் (caiṉam)religion and philosophy
  • சமணம் (camaṇam)religion and philosophy
Thai เชน
  • เชน (cheen)religion and philosophy
Turkish Jainizm
  • Jainizmreligion and philosophy
Ukrainian джайнізм
  • джайнізм (džajnizm)religion and philosophy
Urdu جین مت
  • جین مت (jain mat)religion and philosophy
Vietnamese Kỳ Na giáo, Jaina giáo
  • Kỳ Na giáoreligion and philosophy
  • Jaina giáoreligion and philosophy
Cite this entry
APA

Jainism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jainism

MLA

“Jainism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jainism. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Jainism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Jainism.

Source: Jainism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.