Namaste

[Benjamin Barrett]

I don't see this word in the online AHD. I found a citation where its meaning is taken for granted in Michael Chrichton's _Next_, page 491 (paperback, Harper, 2006):

Compared to the other choices, the name Solana Canyon conveyed a muted, understated quality in keeping with a resort that charged thousands of dollars a day to rejuvenate the bodies, minds, and spirits of its clients. This was accomplished through a combination of yoga, massage, meditation, spiritual counseling, and diet help, all delivered by staff who greeted guests with prayerful hands and a heartfelt "Namaste."

The word "namaste" is not italicized, but the quotes and capitalization leave the intended status of the word ambiguous.  In other cases, he uses a comma and sentence capitalization (or just italics) to indicate quotations. Without the comma, it's unclear whether the capitalization is intended to indicate that the word is foreign.

In any case, the above citation is all he provides for context.

Aloha from Maui
Benjamin Barrett

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