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Make Your Point > Archived Issues > NIRVANA

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Yup: "Nirvana" is a state of bliss, not just an amazing band from the early nineties! It might remind you of X______, a noun meaning "a place of peaceful perfection," or E______, an adjective meaning "full of happiness and heavenly glory."

make your point with...

"NIRVANA"

In its religious sense, nirvana is a state of release, or the liberation of the soul. But in general, nirvana is a place or a situation in which you feel totally happy and/or totally peaceful.

Pronunciation:
Different ways are correct. I prefer "nerve ON uh."

Part of speech:
Noun.
Often uncountable ("such nirvana," "a state of nirvana," "achieving nirvana")
but sometimes singular ("this nirvana," "a nirvana").

Other forms:
The adjective is "nirvanic."

How to use it:

Talk about achieving nirvana, finding your nirvana, entering a state of nirvana, experiencing nirvana, etc.

You can call a place a nirvana ("this restaurant is a nirvana for vegetarians," "it's bagel nirvana!") or call a situation a nirvana ("falling prices resulted in a nirvana for consumers").

Or, be figurative and say that an amazing food or other object is nirvana: "Chad's fruit cobbler is nirvana in a bowl."

examples:

The Container Store is a control-freak's nirvana. I know. I love it there.

Sometimes capitalized, sometimes not, the "nirvana outcome" of any situation is the one that's utterly ideal but extremely unlikely. If you're selling your house right now, I hope you achieve this nirvana outcome: a good offer followed by a fast, easy, no-surprises transaction.

study it now:

Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "nirvana" means when you can explain it without saying "state of bliss" or "peaceful perfection."

try it out:

Think of a problem you plan to solve or a situation you hope goes well, and fill in the blanks: "When (there's a particular issue, problem, or situation), my nirvana outcome would be _____."

Example: "When I have to take my toddler to the dentist, my nirvana outcome would be that her teeth are perfectly healthy and that she kind of enjoys having them cleaned. A girl can dream!"

before you review:

Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.

Well-Named Creatures:

Some names for animals and other creatures define themselves instantly or after a brief moment’s thought: anteater, grasshopper, hummingbird, seahorse, octopus (eight-foot). But other names deserve some exploration; they hold hidden clues about what the animals look like or what they do. And sometimes the names reveal how baffled people were when they first caught a glimpse of the creatures and tried to name them. This month, I’ll give you the literal meaning of a creature's name, and you come up with what it is. Answers will appear in alphabetical order this month. (Oh, and the answers might be animals, birds, insects, or even extinct creatures.) Enjoy!

From yesterday: A "lion panther" is a L______.

Answer: A leopard. Folks in ancient times were confused about what they were!

Try this one today: A creature whose name means "he strips off” (as in, he strips off tree bark to eat it) is a m______.

review today's word:

1. In its general sense, the opposite of NIRVANA is

A. GLUTTONY
B. SLAVERY
C. MISERY

2. Their whole nation is experiencing economic nirvana right now: jobs are _____.

A. abundant
B. evolving
C. specialized

Answers are below.

a final word:

To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes.

Answers to review questions:
1. C
2. A

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