Nāga
/ˈnɑː.ɡə/noun
A serpent deity or supernatural serpent in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions, also used for certain peoples and historical kingdoms of South and Southeast Asia.
Did you know?In Sanskrit, nāga could mean both a mythic serpent and an elephant, two powerful creatures associated with strength, water, and royal symbolism.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
nāga
“A serpent; a powerful serpent being; also an elephant in another usage”
3rd Century BCE–1st Century CE
Pali
nāga
“A serpent deity or supernatural being, and also an elephant”
1st Millennium CE
Prakrits
nāga / nāga-related forms
“Serpent beings appearing in Buddhist and Jain religious traditions”
1st Millennium CE
Southeast Asian languages
nāga / nak / neak
“Serpent guardian or water-associated spirit, borrowed through Indian religious and cultural influence”
19th Century
English
naga
“A serpent deity or mythological serpent of South and Southeast Asian traditions”
Modern English
English
nāga
“A serpent divinity or supernatural serpent, often written naga without diacritics”