stupa

Where does the word "stupa" come from? It comes from Sanskrit stupa, and was adopted directly into English (1841).

Stupa’s story begins in Sanskrit: stupa meant “a heap or mound.” Meant 'a heap, tuft, or crest', later a mound-shaped shrine. It reached English by 1841 as stupa. Adopted for the dome-shaped Buddhist shrine housing relics. Today, stupa means a dome-shaped Buddhist monument, typically containing relics, used as a place of meditation.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient stupa "a heap or mound", meant 'a heap, tuft, or crest', later a mound-shaped shrine.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1841 stupa "a dome-shaped Buddhist shrine containing relics", adopted for the dome-shaped Buddhist shrine housing relics.