pranayama

pra·na·ya·ma
P3R1A1N1A1Y4A1M3A1

noun

Breathing techniques; breath control, often synchronized with movements between asanas in yoga.

OriginSanskrit प्राणायाम →
UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

nounpranayama (countable and uncountable, plural pranayamas)

plural pranayamas

  1. countableuncountableBreathing techniques; breath control, often synchronized with movements between asanas in yoga.

Origin

  1. Sanskritप्राणायाम
  2. Englishpranayama

From Sanskrit प्राणायाम (prāṇāyāma), from प्राण (prāṇá, “life force, vital energy, the breath”) (whence also English prana) + आयाम (āyāma, “lengthening, extending, stretching”).

More words from Sanskrit

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 呼吸節奏 /呼吸节奏
  • 呼吸節奏 /呼吸节奏 (hūxī jiézòu)breathing techniques
Czech pránajáma
  • pránajámabreathing techniques
Finnish pranayama
  • pranayamabreathing techniques
Hungarian pránajáma
  • pránajámabreathing techniques
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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