A Sanskrit title of respect used in India before a person's name, similar to 'Mr.' or 'Mrs.' in English.
From Sanskrit 'śrī,' meaning 'beauty,' 'prosperity,' or 'majesty.' The word spread throughout South Asia and is used as an honorific prefix in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions to show respect or reverence to deities, scholars, and respected individuals.
The word 'shri' connects language to social hierarchy—just like how 'Mr.' and 'Dr.' signal different levels of respect in English, 'shri' instantly tells listeners you're being deferential, and it's been doing this job for over 2,000 years across an entire subcontinent!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.