mara
mara Lexical Profile
mara Game Scores & Validity
• noun
In Buddhist cosmology, a demonic celestial king who tempted Gautama Buddha with visions of beautiful women in an attempt to prevent him from achieving enlightenment; also representing generally any evil spirit or spiritual obstacle.
"The ancient scriptures recount how the Buddha remained undisturbed beneath the Bodhi tree despite the fierce illusions conjured by the mara."
A large, long-legged South American rodent of the genus Dolichotis, native to the arid grasslands and scrublands of Argentina and Patagonia, distinguished by its hare-like appearance.
"During their trip to Patagonia, the biologists observed a group of maras grazing among the scrub, their long ears twitching alertly."
A malignant female spirit or demon in Germanic and Scandinavian folklore believed to sit upon the chest of a sleeping person, causing feelings of suffocation and terrifying dreams.
"According to the old village tales, the persistent bad dreams were caused by a mara creeping into the bedroom at night."
Word Nuance & Usage
The term 'mara' refers to entirely distinct concepts depending on the context: a South American rodent, a Buddhist demon of temptation, or a nightmare-inducing spirit in European folklore.
• Rhymes for mara
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derives from three distinct origins: the rodent's name comes from South American Spanish (likely of indigenous Tupi or Mapudungun origin); the Buddhist demon is from Sanskrit 'Māra' (death, destruction); and the folklore spirit stems from Old English 'mære' or Old Norse 'mara' (incubus), which is the etymological root of the English word 'nightmare'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.