Definition of "guru" []

• Hinduism & Tibetan Buddhism A personal spiritual teacher. (noun)
• A teacher and guide in spiritual and philosophical matters. (noun)
• A trusted counselor and adviser; a mentor. (noun)
• A recognized leader in a field: the guru of high finance. (noun)
• An acknowledged and influential advocate, as of a movement or idea: "In a culture that worships slimness, he was the Guru of Lean” ( Erica Abeel). (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Of course, you can still use the word guru to refer to an “actual” guru, say the Indian spiritual leader behind your favorite yoga technique."
• "We've all heard of the term guru, and while it's gotten misconstrued and possibly watered down into a layman's term lately, the original meaning of guru was simple -- one who helped to remove darkness in order to reveal the light."
• "The word guru in gurukula is often mistakenly thought of as a charismatic cult leader wearing flowing robes with total control over his followers."