Yoni
/ˈjoʊni/noun
A Sanskrit-derived term referring to the vulva, vagina, womb, or feminine generative principle, especially in Hindu religious contexts.
Did you know?In Hindu iconography, the yoni is traditionally paired with the lingam, symbolizing the complementary forces of feminine and masculine creation rather than anatomy alone.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ǵenh₁- / *yónh₂-
“Reconstructed roots associated with begetting, birth, and the generative womb”
Proto-Indo-Iranian
PII
*yáHni-
“Womb, female generative organ, or place of birth”
Rigvedic Period
Vedic Sanskrit
योनि (yoni)
“Womb, vulva, source, origin, or abode; also a ritual or cosmic generative locus”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
yoni
“Womb, vagina, source, origin, dwelling, or symbolic foundation”
19th Century
English
yoni
“An English borrowing used in translations and discussions of Hindu philosophy and iconography”
Modern English
English
yoni
“A sacred or anatomical term for the vulva, vagina, womb, or feminine creative principle”