'ashram' originates from Sanskrit, specifically the word 'āśrama' (आश्रम), where 'āśrama' meant 'a place of spiritual exercise or retreat.'

'ashram' passed into English in the 19th century from Hindi and Sanskrit through contact with Indian religious practices and texts; the Sanskrit 'āśrama' was borrowed into modern English as 'ashram.'

Initially, it meant 'a hermitage or place of spiritual retreat' in Sanskrit; over time the English usage has retained that core sense but broadened to include organized communities and centers for spiritual practice more generally.