In religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, karma is the belief that your actions in this life affect all your future lives.
karma in British English
(ˈkɑːmə)
noun
1. Hinduism, Buddhism
the principle of retributive justice determining a person's state of life and the state of his or her reincarnations as the effect of past deeds
2. theosophy
the doctrine of inevitable consequence
3.
destiny or fate
Derived forms
karmic (ˈkarmic)
adjective
Word origin
C19: from Sanskrit: action, effect, from karoti he does
karma in American English
(ˈkɑrmə; ˈkɜrmə)
noun
1. Buddhism and Hinduism
the totality of a person's actions in any one of the successive states of that person's existence, thought of as determining the fate of the next stage
2. Loosely
fate; destiny
Derived forms
karmic (ˈkarmic)
adjective
Word origin
Sans, a deed, act, fate < IE base *kwer-, to make, form > Welsh pryd, shape, time
Examples of 'karma' in a sentence
karma
You may also wish to blame the government, Fate, bad karma or dodgy feng shui.
Isabel Wolff RESCUING ROSE (2002)
Fate, karma, destiny... Careful with those words; I've been using them too often.
Adair, Tom (Intro) THREE KINDS OF KISSING - SCOTTISH SHORT STORIES (2002)
She wanted to be cool and calm, and as happy for the engaged couple as she could: it was bad karma to be anything else.
Cathy Kelly JUST BETWEEN US (2002)
He thought about its history, the dark karma that clung to it.
James W. Hall BLACKWATER SOUND (2002)
In other languages
karma
British English: karma NOUN
In religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, karma is the belief that your actions in this life affect all your future lives.