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Definition of varanasi
varanasi
/ˌvɑː.rəˈnɑː.si/
Va · ra · na · si
varanasi Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
8
Tier
3
Usage
Top 10k
• noun
1
A major, historically significant city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, situated on the banks of the Ganges River, renowned as one of the holiest cities in Hinduism and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
Example
"Millions of pilgrims travel to Varanasi each year to bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges and participate in ancient spiritual rituals."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for varanasi• Rhymes for varanasi
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the names of the two rivers, the Varuna and the Assi, which border the city to the north and south, respectively. Historically known as Benares or Kashi.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Varanasi. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/varanasi