Veda

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Veda \Ve"da\ (v[=a]"d[.a]or v[=e]"d[.a]; 277), n. [Skr. v[=e]da,
     properly, knowledge, from vid to know. See {Wit}.]
     The ancient sacred literature of the Hindus; also, one of the
     four collections, called {Rig-Veda}, {Yajur-Veda},
     {Sama-Veda}, and {Atharva-Veda}, constituting the most
     ancient portions of that literature.


     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The language of the Vedas is usually called
  
     {Vedic Sanskrit}, as distinguished from the later and more
        settled form called
  
     {classical Sanskrit}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Veda
       n : (from the Sanskrit word for `knowledge') any of the most
           ancient sacred writings of Hinduism written in early
           Sanskrit; traditionallly believed to comprise the
           Samhitas, the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas, and the
           Upanishads [syn: {Vedic literature}]