Namaste
नमस्ते
nuh-muh-STAY
Traditional Indian greeting, performed with palms joined at the chest and a slight bow.
Meaning & usage
Namaste literally translates as "I bow to you" (namah = bow, te = to you). It is the standard respectful greeting in much of the Hindi-speaking north and has spread through yoga culture worldwide. The fuller form is "namaskar"; "namaskaram" is the southern variant. Hands are pressed together at the heart and the head is lowered slightly. No physical contact is needed, which is part of why the gesture exported so cleanly during the pandemic.
In a sentence
She greeted the guests with a namaste at the doorway.
Common spelling variants
- Namaskar
- Namaskaram
- Namaste-ji
Namaste is the canonical English spelling used in MG Mini puzzles.