Nagalese
/ˌnɑːɡəˈliːz/noun
Relating to Nagaland, its people, or the Naga peoples of northeastern India.
Did you know?The name Naga is commonly connected with Sanskrit nāga, meaning “serpent” or “cobra,” though scholars caution that the ethnonym’s ultimate origin is not certain.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
nāga
“Serpent, cobra, or powerful serpent-like being; a proposed source of the ethnonym Naga”
Early modern period
English
Naga
“A collective English name for numerous peoples of the hills of northeastern India and northwestern Myanmar”
19th Century
English
Nagaland
“The land or territory associated with the Naga peoples”
19th–20th Century
English
Nagalese
“An adjective or demonym meaning relating to Nagaland or its inhabitants”
Modern English
English
Nagalese
“Relating to Nagaland, its people, or the Naga peoples”
Explore more surprising origins