ganga
ganga Lexical Profile
• noun
The Ganges river, a major trans-boundary river of Asia flowing through India and Bangladesh, revered as a sacred river and personified as a goddess in Hinduism.
Any of various sandgrouse of the genus Pterocles, especially the pin-tailed sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata), native to arid regions of southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
"The ornithologist was thrilled to spot a flock of gangas flying over the dry Iberian scrubland at dawn."
A traditional type of rural, dissonant polyphonic singing originating from the Dinaric Alps region of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"During the cultural festival, the village elders performed a rousing ganga that echoed loudly across the valley."
Word Nuance & Usage
Frequently confused with 'ganja' (a term for marijuana), 'ganga' predominantly refers to the sacred River Ganges (often capitalized), a type of bird, or a traditional Balkan singing style.
• Rhymes for ganga
Word Origin & Etymology
A word of multiple distinct origins: from Sanskrit 'Gaṅgā' (the River Ganges); from Spanish 'ganga' (sandgrouse, likely imitative of its call); and from Serbo-Croatian 'ganga' (a type of polyphonic folk song).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.