Vanaspati
/ˌvɑː.nəˈspɑː.ti/noun
A Sanskrit term meaning a lord or deity of vegetation, also used for plants, trees, and a type of vegetable shortening in South Asian English.
Did you know?In Vedic Sanskrit, Vanaspati could refer to a divine or cosmic ruler of plants and was associated with trees, herbs, and the life-giving force of vegetation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*potis
“Master, lord, or possessor—the ancient root behind Sanskrit pati”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
vanaspati
“Lord of the forest or vegetation; a sacred designation connected with plants and trees”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
वनस्पति (vanaspati)
“A tree, plant, vegetation, or divine lord of plant life”
19th Century
English
vanaspati
“A Sanskrit loanword used in religious, botanical, and comparative-linguistic writing”
20th Century
South Asian English
vanaspati
“Vegetable fat or shortening, especially hydrogenated vegetable oil used as a ghee substitute”
Modern English
English
Vanaspati
“A term used in discussions of Hindu traditions, Sanskrit literature, botany, and South Asian food products”