suttee

sut·tee

also sa·ti S0097200 (sŭ-tē′, sŭt′ē′)n.1. The now illegal act or practice of a Hindu widow's cremating herself on her husband's funeral pyre in order to fulfill her true role as wife.2. pl. sut·tees also sa·tis A widow who commits such an act.

[Sanskrit satī, virtuous woman, suttee, from feminine present participle of asti, s-, she is, is true; see es- in Indo-European roots.]

suttee

(sʌˈtiː; ˈsʌtiː) n1. (Hinduism) the former Hindu custom whereby a widow burnt herself to death on her husband's funeral pyre2. (Hinduism) a Hindu widow who immolated herself in this way[C18: from Sanskrit satī virtuous woman, from sat good] sutˈteeism n

sut•tee

or sa•ti

(sʌˈti, ˈsʌt i)

n., pl. -tees or -tis. 1. the self-immolation of a Hindu widow on the funeral pyre of her husband: now proscribed by law in India. 2. a widow who so immolates herself. [1780–90; < Skt satī good woman, woman devoted to her husband]

suttee

1. the suicide of a Hindu widow by immolation on the funeral pyre of her husband.
2. a Hindu widow who died by suttee.See also: Killing

suttee

A Hindu practice by which a widow immolated herself on her husband’s funeral pyre. The British tried to stamp out the custom from 1829 with limited success.

Thesaurus

Noun

suttee - the act of a Hindu widow willingly cremating herself on the funeral pyre of her dead husbandself-annihilation, self-destruction, suicide - the act of killing yourself; "it is a crime to commit suicide"

suttee

(sŭ'tē`, sŭ`tē') [Skt. sati=faithful wife], former Indian funeral practice in which the widow immolated herself on her husband's funeral pyre. The practice of killing a favorite wife on her husband's grave has been found in many parts of the world; it was followed by such peoples as the Thracians, the Scythians, the ancient Egyptians, the Scandinavians, the Chinese, and peoples of Oceania and Africa. Suttee was probably taken over by Hinduism from a more ancient source. Its stated purpose was to expiate the sins of both husband and wife and to ensure the couple's reunion beyond the grave, but it was encouraged by the low regard in which widows were held. The practice was not universal throughout Hindu history. It was abolished by law in British India in 1829, but isolated cases of voluntary suttee have occurred into the 20th cent. See also funeral customsfuneral customs,
rituals surrounding the death of a human being and the subsequent disposition of the corpse. Such rites may serve to mark the passage of a person from life into death, to secure the welfare of the dead, to comfort the living, and to protect the living from the
..... Click the link for more information. and suicidesuicide
[Lat.,=self-killing], the deliberate taking of one's own life. Suicide may be compulsory, prescribed by custom or enjoined by the authorities, usually as an alternative to death at the hands of others, or it may be committed for personal motives.
..... Click the link for more information. .

Bibliography

See E. J. Thompson, Suttee (1928).

suttee

former practice of self-immolation by widow on husband’s pyre. [Hinduism: Brewer Dictionary, 1049]See: Sacrifice

suttee

sut·tee

suttee

sut•tee

or sa•ti

suttee

suttee

suttee

suttee

Bibliography

suttee

suttee

Words related to suttee

noun the act of a Hindu widow willingly cremating herself on the funeral pyre of her dead husband

Related Words