Ayahuasca
/ˌaɪəˈwɑːskə/noun
A psychoactive ceremonial brew traditionally prepared from Amazonian plants, especially Banisteriopsis caapi.
Did you know?The Quechua word aya can mean “corpse,” “dead person,” or “spirit,” while waska means “rope” or “vine”; the name reflects the plant’s ritual association with communication beyond ordinary life.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian Andes
Quechua
aya
“Dead person, corpse, or spirit”
Pre-Columbian Andes
Quechua
waska
“Rope, cord, or vine”
Pre-Columbian Andes
Quechua
aya waska
“Spirit/dead-person vine”
16th–18th Century
Spanish
ayahuasca
“Name adopted for the Amazonian ceremonial plant and brew”
19th–20th Century
English
ayahuasca
“A psychoactive South American ceremonial drink”
Modern English
English
ayahuasca
“A traditional entheogenic brew used in religious, healing, and spiritual ceremonies”