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Namaste (/?nm?ste?/, nah-m?s-tay; Hindi/Nepali: Hindi: [n?m?ste?] ( listen)), nah-m?s-tay), sometimes spoken as Namaskar, Namaskaram, Namaskara or Vanakkam, is a respectful form of greeting in Hindu custom, found on the Indian Subcontinent mainly in India and Nepal and among the Indian diaspora. It is used both for salutation and valediction. Namaste is usually spoken with a slight bow and hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointing upwards, thumbs close to the chest. This gesture is called Anjali Mudra or Pranamasana. In Hinduism it means "I bow to the divine in you". The greeting may also be spoken without the gesture or the gesture performed wordlessly, carrying the same meaning.
Etymology, meaning and origins
Surya Namaskara, salutations to Surya.
Namaste (Namas + te, Devanagari: + =) is derived from Sanskrit and is a combination of the word nama? and the enclitic 2nd person singular pronoun te. The word nama? takes the Sandhi form namas before the sound t. Nama? means 'bow', 'obeisance', 'reverential salutation' or 'adoration' and te means 'to you' (dative case). Therefore, Namaste literally means "bowing to you". A less common variant is used in the case of three or more people being addressed namely Namo va? which is a combination of nama? and the enclitic 2nd person plural pronoun va?. The word nama? takes the Sandhi form namo before the sound v. An even less common variant is used in the case o . . . more
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namaste
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