Angra
/ˈæŋɡrə/noun
An Avestan term meaning destructive or hostile, best known from the Zoroastrian name Angra Mainyu.
Did you know?Angra Mainyu is traditionally opposed to Spenta Mainyu, the “Bounteous Spirit,” while later Middle Persian tradition transformed Angra Mainyu into the better-known figure Ahriman.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*angʰ-
“To press tightly, constrict, or cause distress; the reconstructed root behind several words for emotional or physical torment.”
Proto-Indo-Iranian
Proto-Indo-Iranian
*h₂n̥ǵʰras
“Hostile, harmful, or causing distress; the reconstructed ancestral form associated with Avestan angra.”
Ancient Iranian
Avestan
angra
“Destructive, hostile, or harmful.”
Ancient Iranian
Avestan
Angra Mainyu
“The destructive or hostile spirit in Zoroastrian religious tradition.”
Middle Persian
Middle Persian
Ahriman
“The later Middle Persian form associated with Angra Mainyu, the adversarial destructive spirit.”
Modern English
English
Angra
“A learned form used chiefly in discussions of Zoroastrianism, especially in Angra Mainyu.”