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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

devadasi en · NOUN

Etymology

From the Sanskrit देवदासी (devá-dāsī, “female servant of a deity”), from देव (devá, “deity, god”) and दासी (dāsī, “a female servant or slave”).

Meanings

  1. (Hinduism, historical) A girl who underwent the Hindu religious practice of being "married" to a deity. In addition to taking care of the temple, she learned and practiced Bharatanatyam and other classical Indian arts, enjoying high social status.
    • It would be a century before the daughter of another devadasi mesmerized audiences around the world. 2017, Sunil Khilnani, Incarnations, Penguin, page 372:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
devadasis Number=Plur lexicographic

Relateds

Nagarvadhu

Synonyms

temple girl · temple dancer

Translations (5)

ml ദേവദാസി (devadasi) · ta தேவடியாள் (devadasi) · sa देवदासी (devadasi) · ta தேவதாசி (devadasi) · mk бајадера (devadasi)