maya

Where does the word "maya" come from? It comes from Sanskrit maya, and was adopted directly into English (19th-20th c.).

Maya’s story begins in Sanskrit: maya meant “creative power; illusion.” Originally meant 'wisdom, extraordinary power', later shifted to mean 'illusion'. It reached English by 19th-20th c. as maya. Adopted in English discussions of Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. Today, maya means in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, the illusory nature of the physical world that conceals ultimate reality.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient maya "creative power; illusion", originally meant 'wisdom, extraordinary power', later shifted to mean 'illusion'.
2. Stage 2 · English · 19th-20th c. maya "the illusory nature of the physical world", adopted in English discussions of Hindu and Buddhist philosophy.