Ganja
/ˈɡɑːn.dʒə/noun
Cannabis, especially the flowering tops or marijuana.
Did you know?In South Asian tradition, ganja was long associated with ritual and religious use, especially in contexts linked to Shiva worship, before becoming a global cannabis word.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient India
Sanskrit
gañjā
“Hemp or cannabis; the plant’s intoxicating flowering tops”
Early Modern India
Hindi/Indic
ganja
“Cannabis, especially the prepared flowering tops”
17th–18th Century
Portuguese/English
ganja
“A loanword used in colonial trade and travel accounts for cannabis”
19th Century
English
ganja
“Marijuana or cannabis, especially in Caribbean and colonial usage”
Modern English
English
ganja
“Cannabis, especially the flowering tops or marijuana”
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