pralaya

P3R1A1L1A1Y4A1
India/prəˈləjə/India/prəˈlaɪa/UK/pɹəˈlʌɪə/US/ˈpɹələjə/

noun

The destruction of the universe taking place at the end of each cosmic age, preceding a new creation.

OriginSanskrit प्रलय →
First used 17th c.Scrabble 12
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Meanings

nounpralaya (countable and uncountable, plural pralayas)

plural pralayas

  1. countableuncountableIndian mythologyThe destruction of the universe taking place at the end of each cosmic age, preceding a new creation.First known use 17th c.

    Questioned by his earthname as to his whereabouts in the heavenworld he stated that he was now on the path of prālāyā or return […].

    1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 12: Cyclops]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC, part II [Odyssey], page 289
  2. countableuncountableHindu cosmologyA period of cosmic inactivity, lasting 4.32 billion years.

Origin

  1. Sanskritप्रलय
  2. Sanskritप्रलय
  3. Englishpralaya

Borrowed from Sanskrit प्रलय (pralaya).

More words from Sanskrit

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

pralaya. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pralaya

MLA

“pralaya.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pralaya. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pralaya,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pralaya.

Source: pralaya on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.