Definition of Shiva

1. Noun. (Judaism) a period of seven days of mourning after the death of close relative. "The family is sitting shiva"

Exact synonyms: Shibah, Shivah
Category relationships: Judaism
Generic synonyms: Hebdomad, Week

2. Noun. The destroyer; one of the three major divinities in the later Hindu pantheon.
Exact synonyms: Siva
Group relationships: Trimurti
Generic synonyms: Hindu Deity
Specialized synonyms: Bairava
Derivative terms: Shivaist

Definition of Shiva

1. Proper noun. (Hinduism) Together with Brahma and Vishnu, one of the principal deities in Hinduism. Within Shaivism he is viewed as the Supreme deity, whereas in other branches of Hinduism such as the Smarta tradition he is worshipped as one of the six manifestations of the Divine. ¹

2. Proper noun. (Sanskrit male given name) used in India. ¹

3. Noun. a weeklong period of formal mourning for a close relative ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Shiva

1. a period of mourning [n -S]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Shiva

Shiraz
Shirburnian
Shirburnians
Shirer
Shirgah
Shirime
Shirl
Shirley
Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple Black
Shirley sauce
Shirodkar's operation
Shirodkar operation
Shirshak
Shiva
Shivaism
Shivaist
Shivaists
Shivite
Shivites
Shizuoka
Shloime
Shlomo
Shoah
Shoahs
Shockley
Sholem Asch
Sholom Asch
Shona

Literary usage of Shiva

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Handbook of the Madras Presidency by Edward B. Eastwick, John Murray (Firm) (1879)
"The bust is indubitably intended to represent shiva, in the centre face, in his ordinary character ; and in the other two faces, in his quality of ..."

2. Researches Into the Nature and Affinity of Ancient and Hindu Mythology by Vans Kennedy (1831)
"XL shiva. THE worship of Brahma, and the legends respecting him which may have at one time existed, have merely disappeared; but shiva is represented under ..."

3. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bombay by Asiatic Society of Bombay (1872)
"While he was there a Jain entered one day a shiva-temple without having taken off ... Take off thy shoes, throw them away, bow to shiva and save thy body ! ..."

4. A Handbook for Travellers in India, Burma, and Ceylon: Including the by John Murray (Firm) (1903)
"10 in. in diameter, the emblem of shiva and of reproduction, ... The Great Cave at Elephanta is what the Hindus call a shiva Lingam Temple, ..."

5. A Handbook for Travellers in India, Burma and Ceylon: Including the by John Murray (1898)
"It is the representation of shiva, who is the leading character in all the ... The front face is shiva in the character of Brahma, the creator ; the E. face ..."

6. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Giving the Derivation, Source, Or Origin of by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer (1898)
"... the guard of shiva, (/«•fun mythology.) Boudoir, properly speaking, is the room to which л lady retires when the it in the bulks. ..."

Other Resources:

Search for Shiva on Dictionary.com!Search for Shiva on Thesaurus.com!Search for Shiva on Google!Search for Shiva on Wikipedia!