Amidism

noun

Am·​i·​dism

ˈaməˌdizəm

plural -s

: the Buddhist cult of Amitabha that promises rebirth in paradise to its followers and emphasizes salvation by faith see pure land

Word History

Etymology

Japanese Amida the Buddha Amitabha (from Chinese a⁴ -mi² -t'o² -fu², from Sanskrit Amitābha, a Mahayana Buddha, worshipped as the Buddha of boundless light, life, and mercy, literally, of boundless light, from amita boundless, unmeasured—from a- a- entry 2 + mita measured— + ābhā light, from ā towards + -bhā, akin to bhāti it shines) + English -ism; akin to Sanskrit māti he measures

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!