noun
guru
GUU-roo
noun
1
A spiritual teacher, especially in Hindu or Sikh tradition, who guides a student.
"He travelled to India to study under a respected guru."
2
An acknowledged expert or trusted advisor in a particular field.
"She's considered a marketing guru in the tech industry."
How to Use Guru
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOriginally a spiritual teacher, now widely used for any recognised expert or mentor.
Common mistake
In casual business use ("SEO guru", "tech guru") it just means expert — no religious meaning intended.
Common pairings
spiritual guru
marketing guru
tech guru
Word Forms
gurued past tense, gurus plural, guru plural, gurus singular
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He travelled to India to study under a respected _____.
Etymology
From Hindi/Sanskrit गुरु (guru), meaning "venerable" or "weighty" — the same root gives English the word "grave" (serious).