name · noun · 12 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
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/daʊ/
/taʊ/
dou
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
the ultimate principle of the universe
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: principle
12
noun
Meaning 12
an adherent of any branch of Taoism
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Taoist
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: disciple, adherent
History
Etymology
From the Wade–Giles romanization of the Mandarin pronunciation of Chinese 道 (tao4).
From the Wade–Giles romanization of Mandarin 道 (Dào, literally “The Way”): Tao4.
Borrowed from Mandarin 陶 (Táo).
Borrowed from Yami Tao (“the Tao/Yami language”), from Yami tao (“human; person”), from Proto-Philippine *tau, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *tau, from Proto-Austronesian *Cau. Compare Ibatan tawo, Tagalog tao, Ilocano tao.
Borrowed from Georgian ტაო (ṭao).
Across languages
Translations
12 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
да́о
(dáo)
— Chinese philosophical term
Cherokee:
ᏔᎣ
(tao)
— Chinese philosophical term
Chinese Cantonese:
道
(dou6)
— Chinese philosophical term
Chinese Mandarin:
道
(dào)
— Chinese philosophical term