Standard Lemma guide

mudra

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /muːˈdɹɑː/
  • /mʊˈdɹɑː/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɑː
  • CMU ARPABET: M AH1 D R AH0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of several formal symbolic hand postures used in classical dance of India and in Hindu and Buddhist iconography.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: art, arts, dance, dancing, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any of the formal body positions and postures used in yoga and meditation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Hinduism

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

ritual hand movement in Hindu religious dancing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gesture

History

Etymology

From Sanskrit मुद्रा (mudrā, “seal”).

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Burmese: မုဒြာ (mu.dra) — symbolic hand postures of India
  • Czech: mudra — symbolic hand postures of India
  • Dutch: mudra — symbolic hand postures of India
  • French: mudrâ — symbolic hand postures of India
  • German: Mudra — symbolic hand postures of India
  • Hindi: मुद्रा (mudrā) — symbolic hand postures of India
  • Indonesian: mudra — symbolic hand postures of India
  • Japanese: 印相 (inzō) — symbolic hand postures of India
  • Portuguese: mudra — symbolic hand postures of India
  • Russian: мудра́ (mudrá) — symbolic hand postures of India
  • Sanskrit: मुद्रा (mudrā) — symbolic hand postures of India
  • Serbo-Croatian: мудра — symbolic hand postures of India
  • Serbo-Croatian: mudra — symbolic hand postures of India
  • Spanish: mudrá — symbolic hand postures of India
  • Spanish: mudra — symbolic hand postures of India
  • Urdu: مدرا (mudrā) — symbolic hand postures of India