guru
Revered knowledge holder
A guru is a spiritual teacher or guide, originally in Hinduism and Buddhism, where the relationship between guru and disciple is central to religious practice.
The word has spread to mean any authoritative expert or influential leader in a field: a fitness guru, a tech guru, a self-help guru.
In casual use, guru often carries a whiff of skepticism about whether the expertise is genuine.
Hindu religious teacher
- ashramHindu spiritual retreat
- mantraRepeated focus phrase
- meditationFocused attention practice
- yogaMind-body exercise discipline
enlightenment · dharma · karma · devotee · disciple · nirvana · chakra · sadhu
Hindu religious teacher
Authority or controller
- senseiJapanese word for teacher
- instructorOne who teaches skills
- preceptorPractical training supervisor
- tutorIndividual instruction provider
pedagogue · schoolmaster · drillmaster · disciple · pupil · lessons · training · discipline
Leader or instruction book
- advisorOne who gives guidance
- counselorOne who advises
- coachOne who instructs
- protégéPerson guided by expert
sponsorship · empowerment · inspiration · direction · wisdom · apprenticeship · leadership · development
swami
Hindu religious teacher
- ashramHindu spiritual retreat
- mantraRepeated focus phrase
- meditationFocused attention practice
yoga · enlightenment · dharma · karma · devotee · disciple · nirvana · chakra · sadhu · puja
swami
Hindu religious teacher
master
Authority or controller
- senseiJapanese word for teacher
- instructorOne who teaches skills
- preceptorPractical training supervisor
tutor · pedagogue · schoolmaster · drillmaster · disciple · pupil · lessons · training · discipline · apprentice
guide
Leader or instruction book
protégé · sponsorship · empowerment · inspiration · direction · wisdom · apprenticeship · leadership · development · influence
maven
Trusted field authority
authority · savant · specialist · connoisseur · pundit · ace · maestro · adept · genius · oracle
- SekolahSMP, PR, semester
- borrowed wordschic, naive, passe, avant-garde, faux
- expertsexperts, expert, specialist, masters, specialists
- corporate buzzwordsninja, rockstar, evangelist, wizard, czar
- expertise termsexpert, specialist, authority, master, pro
- Indian religionsHinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism
gurunovice
Inexperienced newcomer to field
beginner · amateur · neophyte · nonprofessional · dilettante
gurudisciple
Committed follower of teaching
student · follower · pupil · mentee · apprentice
guruseeker
One who looks
unenlightened · materialist · layperson · skeptic · atheist
- tech guruTechnology expert, revered
- fitness guruExpert promoting physical wellness
- beauty guruMakeup tutorial personality
- lifestyle guruSelf-help authority figure
- love guruAdvisor on romantic matters
- fake guruPretend spiritual teacher