samsara (English)

Where does "samsara" come from?

English borrowed the term 'samsara' directly from Sanskrit 'saṃsāra'[1]. Within Sanskrit, the noun is formed from the prefix 'sam-' and 'sāra'[2], which is an extended derivative of 'sará'[3]. That base ultimately traces back to the Sanskrit verbal root 'sṛ', meaning 'to run, glide, or spring'[4]. Together, these elements reflect the concept of continuous movement, pointing to the ongoing cycle of birth, death, and rebirth across Indian religious traditions.

Full etymology tree

• samsara (English), 'In Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and some other eastern religions, the ongoing cycle of birth, death, and rebirth endured by human beings and all other mortal beings, and from which release is obtained by achieving the highest enlightenment.'
  • borrowed संसार (saṃsāra) (Sanskrit), 'going or wandering through, undergoing transmigration; samsara'
    • prefix सम्- (sam-) (Sanskrit), 'with, together with, along with, together, altogether'
    • affix सार (sāra) (Sanskrit), 'course, motion'
      • derived सर (sará) (Sanskrit), 'springer, runner'
        • affix सृ (sṛ) (Sanskrit), 'to spring, run'
        • suffix -अ (-a) (Sanskrit), 'creates action nouns from roots'

Ancestors

• संसार (Sanskrit)

Sources

1. samsara (English) - Wiktionary
2. संसार (saṃsāra) (Sanskrit) - Wiktionary
3. सार (sāra) (Sanskrit) - Wiktionary
4. सर (sará) (Sanskrit) - Wiktionary

Updated October 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris