maya
1 of 2noun (1)
ma·ya ˈmä-yə 
ˈmī-ə
: the sense-world of manifold phenomena held in Vedanta to conceal the unity of absolute being
broadly : illusion
Maya
2 of 2noun (2)
Ma·ya ˈmī-ə
plural Maya or Mayas
1
a
: a Mayan language of the ancient Maya peoples recorded in inscriptions
b
: yucatec
especially : the older form of that language known from documents of the Spanish period
2
: a member of a group of Indian peoples chiefly of Yucatán, Belize, and Guatemala whose languages are Mayan
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Lindsey Mcclave, The Courier-Journal, 31 Dec. 2019 Circle of fire: The frame around Nataraja is maya, illusion, as experienced through the cyclical phenomenon of birth & death. Harish Pullanoor, Quartz India, 18 Dec. 2019 Regardless, raising octopuses—maya or otherwise—from egg to harvest turns out to be exceedingly difficult. Tik Root, Time, 21 Aug. 2019 Between the gods and mortal men and women there hung a veil, and its name was maya. Salman Rushdie, The New Yorker, 22 July 2019
Noun
The shrimp were also the highlight of the salmon maya dish ($16.99), sauteed and layered over a grilled salmon filet. Lindsey Mcclave, The Courier-Journal, 31 Dec. 2019 Circle of fire: The frame around Nataraja is maya, illusion, as experienced through the cyclical phenomenon of birth & death. Harish Pullanoor, Quartz India, 18 Dec. 2019 Regardless, raising octopuses—maya or otherwise—from egg to harvest turns out to be exceedingly difficult. Tik Root, Time, 21 Aug. 2019 Between the gods and mortal men and women there hung a veil, and its name was maya. Salman Rushdie, The New Yorker, 22 July 2019 Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Sanskrit māyā
Noun (2)
Spanish
First Known Use
Noun (1)
1788, in the meaning defined above
Noun (2)
1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1a