Laya
/ˈlɑː.jə/noun
In Indian classical music, the tempo, rhythmic flow, or measured continuity of a performance.
Did you know?In Sanskrit philosophical and yogic contexts, laya can mean dissolution or absorption, while in music it describes the rhythmic flow that carries a performance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leiH-
“To cling, adhere, or be attached; a proposed ancient root connected with Sanskrit laya.”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
lī
“To cling, dissolve, disappear, or become absorbed.”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
laya
“Dissolution, absorption, disappearance, or merging; later also rhythmic continuity.”
Medieval India
Sanskrit
laya
“The regulated flow or tempo underlying musical and poetic performance.”
19th–20th Century
English
laya
“A loanword in English-language writing on Indian classical music, meaning rhythmic tempo or flow.”