Etymology

mara

M3A1R1A1

Today it means: A nightmare; a spectre or wraith-like creature in Germanic and particularly Scandinavian folklore; a female demon who torments people in sleep by crouching on their chests or stomachs, or by causing terrifying visions. Full definition →

Old Norse mara ← Proto-Germanic *marǭ
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mara · noun1

  1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*marǭ
  2. Old Norse · borrowed frommara
  3. English todaymara

Borrowed from Old Norse mara, from Proto-Germanic *marǭ, cognate with Old English mare or mære. Doublet of mare. See nightmare.

mara · noun2

  1. Sanskrit · borrowed fromमार
  2. English todaymara

Borrowed from Sanskrit मार (māra).

mara · noun3

  1. Spanish · derived frommara
  2. English todaymara

From New World Spanish mara.

Mara · proper noun4

  1. Hebrew · derived fromמַר“bitter”
  2. Hebrew · derived fromמָרָא“bitterness”
  3. English todayMara

From Hebrew מָרָא (mara, “bitterness”), derived from Hebrew מַר (mar, “bitter”). The modern given name may also be shortened from Maria or Tamara.

Mara · proper noun5

From O'Mara, a variant of O'Meara.

Mara · proper noun6

  1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*mer-“to die”
  2. Sanskrit · borrowed fromमर
  3. English todayMara

From Sanskrit मर (mara), from Proto-Indo-European *mer- (“to die”). Doublet of mortality.

Words from the same roots

Sanskritमार all →

Mararanjani

Proto-Indo-European*mer- all →

murdermeremullermorbiditymorbidmammermarlinemulleredmurth

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.