Standard Lemma guide

reincarnation

noun · 6 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.

  • /ˌɹiːɪŋkɑː(ɹ)ˈneɪʃən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪʃən
  • CMU ARPABET: R IY2 IH0 N K AA0 R N EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A rebirth of a soul, in a physical life form, such as a body.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: metempsychosis, transmigration (both broadly synonymous)
  • He is believed to be the reincarnation of Jesus.
  • Do you believe in reincarnation?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: metempsychosis, transmigration[Appendix:Glossary

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A fresh embodiment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A new, considerably improved, version.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • a reincarnation of an old video game

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

the Hindu or Buddhist doctrine that a person may be reborn successively into one of five classes of living beings (god or human or animal or hungry ghost or denizen of Hell) depending on the person's own actions

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: theological doctrine

5

noun

Meaning 5

a second or new birth

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: rebirth, renascence

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: birth, nativity, nascency, nascence

Narrower terms: transmigration, cycle of rebirth

6

noun

Meaning 6

embodiment in a new form (especially the reappearance or a person in another form)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • his reincarnation as a lion

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: embodiment, incarnation, avatar

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re-der. Old French re-bor. Middle English re- English re- Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. Middle English in- English in- English carnate English incarnate English reincarnate Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English -ion English reincarnation From reincarnate + -ion.

Across languages

Translations

88 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: reïnkarnasie — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Arabic: تَنَاسُخُ الأَرْوَاحِ (tanāsuḵu l-ʔarwāḥi) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Armenian: վերամարմնավորում (veramarmnavorum) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Bulgarian: превъплъщение (prevǎplǎštenie) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Catalan: reencarnació — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Chinese Mandarin: 轉世 /转世 (zhuǎnshì) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Chinese Mandarin: 轉生 /转生 (zhuǎnshēng) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Chinese Mandarin: 投胎 (tóutāi) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Czech: převtělení — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Danish: reinkarnation — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Dhivehi: އާތަމާލަ (ātamāla) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Dutch: reïncarnatie — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Esperanto: reenkarniĝo — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Estonian: reinkarnatsioon — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Finnish: jälleensyntyminen — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Finnish: reinkarnaatio — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • French: réincarnation — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Friulian: reincarnazion — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Galician: reencarnación — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Georgian: რეინკარნაცია (reinḳarnacia) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • German: Wiedergeburt — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • German: Reinkarnation — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Greek: μετενσάρκωση (metensárkosi) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Ancient Greek: μετεμψύχωσις (metempsúkhōsis) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Hebrew: גִּלְגּוּל נְשָׁמוֹת (gilgúl neshamót) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Hindi: पुनर्जन्म (punarjanma) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Hungarian: újraszületés — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Hungarian: reinkarnáció — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Icelandic: endurholdgun — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Italian: reincarnazione — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Japanese: 転生 — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Japanese: 輪廻 (rinne) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Japanese: 生まれ変わり (umarekawari) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Japanese: 再来 — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Khmer: បដិសន្ធិ (paʼdesɑnthiʼ) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Korean: 윤회(輪迴) 륜회 (yunhoe) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Latin: metempsychosis — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Latin: reciprocatio — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Latvian: pārmiesošanās — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Latvian: reinkarnācija — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Malay: penjelmaan semula — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Manx: aaghoaill y chorp — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Marathi: संसार (sausār) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Nepali: पुनर्जन्म (punarjanma) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Persian: زادمرد (zādmord) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Persian: تناسخ (tanāsox) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Polish: odrodzenie — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Polish: reinkarnacja — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Portuguese: reencarnação — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Romanian: reîncarnare — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Russian: перевоплоще́ние (perevoploščénije) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Russian: возрожде́ние (vozroždénije) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Russian: переселе́ние душ (pereselénije duš) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Russian: реинкарна́ция (reinkarnácija) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Russian: перерожде́ние (pereroždénije) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Sanskrit: संसार (saṃsāra) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Serbo-Croatian: реинкарнација — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Serbo-Croatian: препорађање — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Serbo-Croatian: reinkarnacija — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Serbo-Croatian: preporađanje — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Spanish: reencarnación — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Swedish: själavandring — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Swedish: reinkarnation — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Tagalog: pagmulingsilang — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Tamil: மறுபிறவி (maṟupiṟavi) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Tamil: மறுபிறப்பு (maṟupiṟappu) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Tocharian B: saṃsār — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Turkish: ruh göçü — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Turkish: reenkarnasyon — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Ukrainian: реінкарна́ція (reinkarnácija) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Ukrainian: перевті́лення (perevtílennja) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Urdu: آواگون (āvāgavan) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Urdu: تناسخ (tanāsux) — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Welsh: ailymgnawdoliad — rebirth of a mental capacity in a physical life form
  • Bulgarian: прераждане (preraždane) — fresh embodiment
  • German: Wiedergeburt — fresh embodiment
  • Hungarian: újjászületés — fresh embodiment
  • Portuguese: reincarnação — fresh embodiment
  • Tamil: மறுபிறவி (maṟupiṟavi) — fresh embodiment
  • Ukrainian: перевті́лення (perevtílennja) — fresh embodiment
  • Finnish: uudistuminen — new, often improved, version
  • Finnish: muodonmuutos — new, often improved, version
  • German: Wiedergeburt — new, often improved, version
  • Greek: μετενσάρκωση (metensárkosi) — new, often improved, version
  • Portuguese: reincarnação — new, often improved, version
  • Russian: перевоплоще́ние (perevoploščénije) — new, often improved, version
  • Russian: возрожде́ние (vozroždénije) — new, often improved, version
  • Tamil: மறுபிறவி (maṟupiṟavi) — new, often improved, version
Real reading context

reincarnation in complete knowledge articles