atman

Meaning

The true self of an individual beyond identification with worldly phenomena, the essence of an individual, an infinitesimal part of Brahman.

Synonyms

soul

ego

self

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɑːtman/

Etymology

From Sanskrit आत्मन् (ātmán, “soul; self; ego; essence”). Doublet of edder (“blood vessel”) and cognate with Old English ǣþm (“breath”).