apsara

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See also: apsará

English[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Alternative forms[edit]

A 12th century statue of an apsara.

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Hindi अप्सरा (apsarā), descended from Sanskrit अप्सरस् (apsaras).

Noun[edit]

apsara (plural apsaras)

  1. (Indian mythology, Hinduism, Buddhism) A female spirit of the clouds and waters.
    • 1997, Kiran Nagarkar, Cuckold, HarperCollins, published 2013, page 40:
      But the boy's relatives don't sit on their behinds and wait for a pari or an apsara to drop out of the heavens.
    • 2004, Khushwant Singh, Burial at Sea, Penguin, published 2014, page 102:
      But here was an apsara rising out of the waters of a holy Ganga, raising her arms in salutation to the sun rising above the range of hills and offering her behind to him to marvel at and worship.
    • 2006, Vikram Chandra, Sacred Games, volume 1, Penguin, published 2007, page 17:
      Don't burn us with your fierce austerities, O master. I'll have to send apsaras to distract you.

Translations[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Indonesian[edit]

Indonesian Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia id

Etymology[edit]

From Sanskrit अप्सरस् (apsaras). Doublet of apsari.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ap.sa.ra/
  • Hyphenation: ap‧sa‧ra

Noun[edit]

apsara

  1. (archaeology) heavenly deity

Further reading[edit]

Portuguese[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Noun[edit]

apsara f (plural apsaras)

  1. (Indian mythology) apsara (a female spirit of the clouds and waters)