shiva
shiva Lexical Profile
shiva Game Scores & Validity
• noun
(capitalized as Shiva) One of the principal deities of Hinduism, worshiped as the supreme god within Shaivism and known as the destroyer and transformer within the Trimurti alongside Brahma and Vishnu.
"The ancient temple features bronze sculptures depicting Shiva as Nataraja, the cosmic lord of dance."
In Judaism, a period of seven days of formal mourning for the dead, beginning immediately after the funeral and observed by the closest relatives of the deceased.
"Friends and neighbors brought meals to the family's home while they were sitting shiva for their grandfather."
Word Nuance & Usage
In the Jewish mourning sense, 'shiva' is most commonly used in the phrase 'sit shiva' (without an article or preposition) to describe observing the seven-day mourning period.
• Rhymes for shiva
Word Origin & Etymology
The Jewish mourning term derives from Hebrew 'šib'āh', meaning 'seven', in reference to the seven-day duration of mourning. The capitalized Hindu proper noun comes from Sanskrit 'Śiva', literally meaning 'auspicious' or 'gracious'.