# karma

> English word · Noun · IPA /kərm(ə)/ · frequency rank #8,563

## Definitions
1. The sum total of a person's actions, which determine the person's next incarnation in samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth.
2. A force or law of nature which causes one to reap what one sows; destiny; fate.
3. A distinctive feeling, aura, or atmosphere.
4. A score assigned to a user or post on some discussion forums, indicating popularity or perceived value.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Sanskrit कर्म (kárma), nom.sg. of कर्मन् (kárman, “act, action, performance”); first attested in English in 1785 in a translation of the Bhagavad Gita by Charles Wilkins.

## Easily confused with
- **kart** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/karma-vs-kart)
- **Kira** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/karma-vs-kira)
- **kaya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/karma-vs-kaya)
- **kata** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/karma-vs-kata)
- **Karp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/karma-vs-karp)
- **Kyra** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/karma-vs-kyra)
- **Korea** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/karma-vs-korea)
- **Kayla** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/karma-vs-kayla)
- **Katya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/karma-vs-katya)
- **karmic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/karma-vs-karmic)
- **kam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kam-vs-karma)
- **kar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kar-vs-karma)
- **Karl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/karl-vs-karma)
- **kara** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kara-vs-karma)
- **kami** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kami-vs-karma)
- **Kari** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kari-vs-karma)
- **kana** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kana-vs-karma)
- **Kala** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kala-vs-karma)
- **kama** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kama-vs-karma)
- **kaka** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kaka-vs-karma)

## Common misspellings (7)
`akrma`, `kamra`, `karam`, `karmma`, `karrma`, `kkarma`, `krama`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/karma