Glossary of Ethnomedicine

The following glossary is not divided into the cultural areas the individual words refer to, but contains words from all fields we have covered on Ethnomedico.com. It is not meant to be a complete dictionary of ethnomedicine and we cannot guarantee accuracy.

Please note that most of the terms included here are derived from languages in which the Latin alphabet is not the predominant one in use translations into other alphabets and various European languages have often led to different spellings in different sources.

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

A

Aap: Water as an element

Abhyanga: oil massage

Acara: law of conduction; conductivity

Agantuka: external, from outside, strange

Agni: fire, heat, light; analogy to cellular metabolism

Ahamkara: Behavioural pattern of a person; stubbornness, pride

Ahara: food that is presented to the organism; chymus

Ahara rasa: nourishing solution or liquid; moist foods

Ajasrika: vitalising activity

Ajirna: irritations of the stomach and intestines

Ajna chakra: Centre of the mind; third eye

Akasa: open space; ether, sphere

Akriti: physical appearance

Alabu: Vessel made of a dried pumpkin

Alambusu nadi: Toga nadi; canal, connection, transect

Alocaka pitta: Variation of a Pitta vision, precedes illumination

Ama: unboiled, raw; not metabolised, undigested; venomous or poisonous; negative thoughts or mood (stated as mental ama)

Amala (Amaliki): commonly used weed in Ayurveda, Emblica officinalis or E. myrobalan

Amavata: Disease caused by Ama and Vata; arthritis

Amla: Savoury taste

Anjana: Black pigment that is applied around the eyes

Anna: Nourishment, food

Annamaya kosha: Body

Anna-vaha srotas: transport canals for food; intestines

Anupana: Liquid solvent for drugs; drink that is taken before or after drug treatments; drink after dinner

Anurasa: A seconday taste (for example, a light sweetness in a predominantly acidic fruit)

Anuvasana (Basti): Enema that is applied with an oil-based solvent

Apa: Water as an element

Apana: One of five variations of vata, running from cranial to caudal (from the head downwards). It is responsible for defecation and the discharge of menstruation blood

Apana vayu: Downwards (cranial-caudal) running vayu

Aparadha: Mistake, error, sin

Apara-ojas: The less significant of the two liquids representing life in the body (ojas)

Ardhavabhedaka: A kind of headache affecting half the head

Arishta: A symptom indicating nearing death

Arsha: holy, worshipped, sacred

Artava: Menstruation blood and discharge

Artavaha srotas: Vessels for the menstruation discharge

Artha: economic, financial; money

Asana: Position in a hierarchy; seat

Asatmendriyartha samyoga: Inappropriate contact with an object

Asatmya: evil, bad, inappropriate, illicit

Ashvini mudra: Exercise in yoga that trains the contraction of the anus

Astanga Hryda: Old ayurvedic text by Vagabhatta

Asthi: Bone; bony tissue

Asthidara kala: Special bone skin

Asthi-vaha srotas: Transport canals that supply nourishment and gas exchange to bones

Asura: Demon, evil spirit; complementary to god

Atapa: Heat, sunlight

Atiyoga: Excessive action; over use

Atma: Soul, spirit, true self

Aum: Access to god, name of god

Avalambaka: one of five variations of Kapha that provides aid and support

Avalambaka Kapha: A variation of kapha in the chest

Avarana: Cover, surface

Avasthapaka: Main phase of digestion

Avedhya: A point that should not be pierced or treated with acupuncture

Avidahi: Acidic stomach caused by digestive problems

Avipattikara churna: Ayurvedic treatment, often used to treat acidic stomachs

Ayurveda: Teaching of body, mind, soul and senses

Ayusa: Sum of soul, mind, body and senses; life, lifespan

B

Basti: Medical enema

Betel: Medically active plant; often used to treat digestive malfunction; Areca catechu

Bhajani: A mix of roasted cereals

Bhajiyas: A fried meal made of onions and other vegetables

Bharta: Meal made of mashed aubergines

Bhasma: Ashes of a human body; remains

Bheda: Division; partition and diversification

Bhrajaka (Pitta): A variation of pitta that causes colour and appearance of the skin

Bhutagni: Fire that feeds on other elements; analogous to enzymes that metabolise nutrients

Bhuta-vidya: Teaching of demons and evil spirits; analogous to microbiology

Bodhaka (Pitta): One of five variations of kapha that helps to distinguish different tastes and flavours

Brahma: Teaching of the vedas; studying the spirit, mind and soul

Brahmacharya: A phase of rest during studying and inner contemplation

Brahma-muhurta: Time between two hours before the sun rises and sunrise

Brahmi: Herb that is used to treat illnesses of the mind and bad memory; Centella asiatica

Buddhi: Intellect, intelligence

C

Caksu: Eye

Caraca (Charaka): Historical scholar of ayurveda; wrote "Caraka Samhita"

Caraya: Routine, exercise, experience

Chandan: Sandelwood; Santalum album

Chapati: A kind of Indian bread

Charak: Historical ayurvedic scholar, wrote "Charak Samhita"

Charaka samhita: One of the oldest scriptures of ayurveda

Churna: Medical powder

Chyavanprash: An emulsion of honey, amala and 45 other ingredients

Cikitsa: A treatment or therapy to re-establish balance

Citraka: Herb; Plumbago zeylanica

Citraka-mula: The root of Citraka. To strengthen and support the digestive system

Citrakadi vati: An ayurvedic drug, made mostly of Citraka

D

Danti mula: Root of the weed Danti (Baliospermum montanum)

Desa: Region, area, territory, empire

Dharana: Concentration; to focus the mind and control respiration

Dhatri: Synonym of Amalaki (Emblica officinalis)

Dhatu: Tissue that supports the body and keeps it in its shape; analogous to integument; one of seven basic substances that build the body

Dhatu-agni: Fire that transforms the juices of food into body; analogous to enzymes that metabolise nutrients in parts of the tissue

Dinacharya: Daily exercise, experience

Dhyana: Meditation

Dosa: One of three functions of the metabolism that connect body and mind; a need that causes health damage (for example, need for a certain mineral in the diet)

Dosa vaishmya: pathologic state of a Dosas

Drava: Liquid

Dusya: Region in the body in which the cause of a disease is manifest

E

F

G

Gati: State or features of the heartbeat

Ghi (Ghee): Butter that was subject to purification

Goksuru: Herb; Tribulus terrestris

Grahani: Chronic diarrhea

Guduci: Herb; Tinospora cordifolia

Guggulu: Extracted resin of a herb (Commifora mucul)

Gulma: Tumor

Guna: State, feature, property; sattva, rajas and tamas are considered to be the "Three Gunas"

Guru: heavy, grave, important; person of respect; teacher

H

Halasana: Certain position of the body

Haritaki: Herb; Terminalia chebula

Harsani: pleasant, beautiful

Hath Yoga: Yoga of physical exercises

Hima: Cold

Hina yoga: insufficient

Hrid roga: Heart disease

I

Ida: Variation of a Yoga nadi

Indrya: Region of the body that supports a sense; for example, tongue

Isabgol: Herb that promotes digestion, empties intestines; Plantago ovata

Isha Diet: Diet of the anahata chakra

J

Jala: Water, liquid

Jala neti: Clearing of the nose with water (yoga)

Jalauka: Leech (Hirudo sp.)

Japa: Repitition; praying mantras

Jathara: belly button; abdomen

Jatharagni: Fire that burns in the abdomen; gastritis; acidic stomach; enzyme disorder

Jati: Jasmine

Jiva: The living soul; life; living

Jivha: Tongue

Jnanendriya: Sensory organs that receive information

K

Kajala: Black pigment, applied around the eyes

Kala: Temporal period; age, dominion

Kamya: desirable

Kapalabhati: Kriya and pranayama that clear the respiratory system

Kapha: Mucus, one of the three main substances of energy in the body (Dosa)

Karana: to do, act, cause

Karanja: Herb; Pongamia pinnata

Karavira: Herb; Nerium indicum

Karmendriya: Organ of action; working sense

Kasaya: Astringing taste

Kathina: hard, inflexible, cruel

Katu: spicy, sharp taste

Katuka: Herb; Picrorhica curroa

Kaumarabhrtya: Area of ayurveda, deals with paediatrics

Kaya: Body; point, spot, area

Kay-cikitsa: Treatment of inner disease; internal medicine

Kedari kulya: Flush - canal analogy of ayurveda to the generation of tissue

Khale kapota: Grain - pigeon - analogy of ayurveda to the generation of tissue

Khara: Hard, raw, brutal

Khichadi: Dish made of mung beans, rice and spices

Kleda: Discharge

Kledaka: moist; mucus in the stomach

Kledaka kapha: A variation of Kapha, responsible for digestion

Kriya: Exercise to achieve healing

Kriyakala: Duration of an exercise

Ksira dadhi: Analogy of ayurveda to the generation of tissue

Kubera: God of wealth and possession

Kuhu: Nadi in yoga

Kundalini: Potential energy resting at the base of the spine

Kurma: A variation of Vata in yoga

Kuti: Hut, cabin, little house

Kutipravesika: Entering a kuti in the expectation of healing, rejuvenation and treatment

L

Laghu: short, little; minute

Langhana: to fast; therapeutic fasting

Lassi: buttermilk; drink made with water and yogurt

Lavana: Salty taste

Lavana-bhaskara: Ayurvedic powder to support digestion

Lohita: Second layer of the skin

M

Madhyama marga: Middle way; tissue

Madakari: Cause of a poisoning

Madanaphala: Herb, nut; Randia spinosa

Madatya: Cause of or malfunction due to a poisoning

Madhura: Sweet taste; pleasant, desirable

Madya: Any kind of toxic drink or substance

Mahabhuta: Main elements; size; the five basic elements space, air, fire, water and earth

Mahad tattva: Intellect, principles

Mahamarma: One of three main marmas

Mahendra: King Indra, king of the half-gods

Majja: bonemarrow

Majja-vaha srotas: Transport canals in the bony tissue

Mala: Dirt, discharge; faeces

Malinikarana: Contamination

Mamsa: Muscle, meat; pulp

Mamsadhatu: Muscle tissue

Mamsa-vaha srotas: Canals in the muscles that supply nutrients and gas exchange

Manas: Spirit

Manda: slow, thoughtful; one of the Pitt Chakra

Mandagni: Weakest phase of the eating fire; resting phase in digestion

Manomaya kosha: Vessel of the mind

Mantra: Vedic line, sacred verse; prayer

Manusmriti: Path, canal, connection, transect

Marga: Canal, connection

Marma: A point of connection for body and mind

Matsyendrasana: Yoga exercise, includes to bend the spine

Mayurasana: Yoga exercise that aims to imitate a peacock

Matasya: Fish

Meda: Fatty tissue

Medha: Spiritual,mental strenght or power; intelligence, wisdom; mental purity

Medo-vaha srotas: Canals that transport nutrients and supply the gas exchange in fatty tissue

Medya: Basis of wisdom, mental strength and purity

Mithya-yoga: Abuse; false application

Moksana: To release; relax, make yourself free

Moong: A kind of heartbeat

Mung ki daal: A kind of green dry beans, often used to raise shoots

Mridu: soft, tender, pleasant

Mrudu: soft, tender, pleasant

Mudra: a sign, signal, image; often used in yoga or religious symbolism

Muladhara chakra: First chakra

Mutra: Urin

Mutra-vaha strotas: Transport canals of urine

N

Nadi: heartbeat; blood vessels

Nadi pariksha: examination of the heartbeat

Nadi vigyana: Heartbeat diagnosis

Nag: A kind of vata in yoga

Naimittika: Cause of a specific effect

Nanatmaja: Cause (disease), that is based on a single factor (dosa)

Nasya: Therapy applied through the nose

Nauli: Exercise that imitates the motion of a boat in a stormy sea

Nauli chalana: Therapy that vertically and laterally contracts the abdominal muscles

Neem oder Nim: Tree; Azadirachta indica

Netra: Eye

Nidana: Cause of a disease and the examination of it

Nidana panchaka: Five ways to a diagnosis

Nidra: Sleep

Nija: the inner me, the self

Nirama: Without Ama or toxic substance

Niruha (Basti): Enema without the use of oils

Niyama: rebuild, balance out, compensate, heal

O

Ojas: Purest form of the metabolism; faeces after healthy digestion

Om: Purest mantra

P

Pacaka (Pitta): Help with cooking, roasting, digesting

Paisacika: demonic, evil, bad

Pancha: Five

Panchakarma: Five kinds of the exercises of extinction to remove the dosas

Panir: Sort of cheese made of stirred milk

Papad: Dish made of dry lentils; roasted or fried

Para-ojas: Most important juice of life; sits in the heart

Pariksa: Examination; conversation leading to a diagnosis

Parinama: Result, diagnosis

Parpati: Medicine, includes sulphur and mercury

Pasava: Animal species related to cows (Bovidae)

Pascata karma: Secondary exercise or therapy that follows the main treatment or therapy

Paschimotamasama: Exercise of yoga, involves the resting of the head on the knees

Pavanamuktasana: Exercise of yoga, involves the lifting of the knees towards the chest

Peya: Rice stew or drink that includes small amounts of boiled rice

Pichila: slimy or smeary

Pingala: Collects and transmits sunlight; right nosetril

Pippali: Pepper species; Piper longum

Pitta: Fire; one of the most important bodily fluids (Dosha)

Poorvakarma: Preparation for a therapy

Prabhava: Effect of a herb

Pradhana: main, mostly; important

Pragya aparadh: Mental or intellectual mistake

Prajna: Wisdom, sophistication, intelligence, education

Prajnaparadha: Lack of intellectual stimulation, destructs the mind

Prakopa: deterioration; damage

Prakriti: Nature, original state

Prana: The breath of life; life spirit; energy, power

Prana-vaha srotas: Canals for the transport of gas; tracheal system, respiratory system

Prana-vata: One of five variations of vata, responsible for the control of the respiration and the sensory input

Pranayama: Control of respiration, techniques that teach this control

Prapga: First phase of digestion

Prapti: To get hold of something, achieve something

Prasara: expand, enlarge, grow

Prashama: Treatment of dosas

Pratyahara: Taking of a blood sample; to take parts of external objects through the senses (sensual impressions)

Pravesa: Entrance; to enter something

Preta: Spirit of a dead person

Prithvi: Earth, world

Puga: Betel nut, herb; Areca catechu

Purisa: Feces, debris, discharge

Purisa-vaha srotas: Canals that transport faeces; excretory system

Purusa: Person; man; human

Purva: before, previously

Purva-karma: temporary treatment; preparation for the actual treatment

Purvarupa: Early symptoms preceding a disease

Q

R

S

Sabda: Sound, voice

Sadavidha: Six shapes, forms

Sadhaka (Pitta): energizing, involving; one of five forms of pitta

Sakuna: referring to birds; bird-like; to have a connection with birds; bird catcher

Salakya tantra: Teaching that uses cylindrical sticks and sondes to examine mostly threat, neck, nose and eyes

Salya tantra: Surgery

Sama: balance, even

Samadhi: Abstract meditation, independent from experience; intense contemplation about a certain object

Samagni: Balance in the fire of the stomach; balanced digestion

Samana (Vata): equal, like, analogous, identical; one of five kinds of vata

Samanya: equal, analogous, identical

Samanyaja: effect (disease) caused by several factors (two or three dosas)

Samhita: Methnodologically structures collection of verse and text

Sammurchana: Fusion of dosa and dushya

Samprapi: Pathogenesis; the whole process of disease and illness

Samsarga: dual influence on the dosas

Samsarjana (karma): Diets and exercises that are done after a treatment or therapy and often aim to support the re-introduction of the daily routines

Samyaka: correct, right, true

Samyoga: Connection, combination, cross

Sancaya: Collection, gathering, enrichment

Sandra: thick, solid, pure

Sankhapuspi: Herb to support emotional stability; Convolvulus pluricaulis

Sanskrit: pure, true, real, clear; language of classic India; language of the veda

Sapta: Seven

Sapta-dahu: The seven elements of the tissues and the body

Sara: liquid, fluent, transformable

Sarira: Body

Sarpa: Snake

Sarpagandha: Name of a plant that is used to treat hypertonia; Rouwolfia serpentina

Sarvangasana: A yoga exercise

Sastriya: Referring to old text (sastra); sastric

Sattava: Spiritual essence; substance or pureness of good

Sattava-vajaya: Therapy that supports the consistency of the good in a person

Sattvic: Pureness, genius; true, real, honest

Savasana: Dead body; a yoga exercise

Shakha: The four extremities, limbs

Shakha marga: External canal of disease

Shishir: Winter

Shodhana: Detoxination, clearing

Silajita: Black, sticky substance that comes out of mountains; bitumen

Sira: All kinds of tubular vessels, such as veins, arteries, nerves; skull, cranium, head

Sirodhara: Treatment in which oil is poured from a specific point to the front

Sirsasana: headstand, a yoga exercise

Sita: cold, chilled, emotionless, frigid

Slakshana: tender, mild

Slesaka: affectionate, binding, involving

Snehan: hot bandage

Snehana: smear, to rub into oil

Snigdha: sticky, viscous; adhesive, affectionate

Sodhana: clearing, purifying

Soma: Luck, pleasure, basis of work behind spirit and senses

Sparsa: Touching, mechanosesory input

Sringa: Horn

Srotas: Canals, tubes for transportation in the body

Sroto-dusti: Contamination of the srotas

Srvanam: Act of hearing; to learn by hearing; learning; transport, transfer

Sthana samsraya: Point or centre of a dosas

Sthana saushraya: Localisation; phase in a disease

Sthira: hard, solid, inflexible, not movable

Sthula: large, big, massive

Sukra: Reproduktive tissue

Sukradhara kala: Special membrane of the reproductive tissue

Sukra-vaha srotas: Transport canals for the reproductive organs and tissues

Suksma: short, quick; insignificant

Surya namaskara: A set of yoga exercises

Susruta: Author of "Susruta Samhita"; historical surgeon, whose findings were partly transmitted to modern surgery

Susruta Samhita: an ayurvedic text that deals with surgery and surgical treatments

Svabhavika: natural; belonging to the own nature

Sveda: Sweat, heat

Sveda-vaha srotas: Transport canals of sweat, sweat glands

T

Takra: Buttermilk; a milk drink with yogurt and water

Tamaka svasa: A kind of asthma

Tamas: Ignorance, lack of knowledge; mental disintegration, mental darkness

Tamasisch: dull, lazy, unmotivated; stupid; mentally dark

Tanmatra: a non-manifest form of the five elements; original or pre-form of an element

Tapas: Self-discipline

Tarpaka: Satisfactory; fulfilling; filling; a kind of Kapha, which fills brain and nerves

Tejas: Fire, light; clearness of the eyes; glow, shine; highest tip of a flame

Tiksagni: A strong fire of the stomach; in digestion, a high metabolic activity

Tiksna: Sharp, intense, high, strong

Tikta: Bitter taste

Trataka: Constant staring

Tri: Three

Tridosa: The three dosas

Tridoshisch: Referring to the three dosas

Triguna: The three expressions of nature

Triphala: An ayurvedic recipe that uses equal amounts of fruits from three certain herbs

Trivrita: A herb used for clearing and purification; Operculina turpethum

Tulasi: Herb, basil; Ocimum sanctum

U

Udaka-vaha srotas: Transport canals for water and aqueous solutions

Udana (vata): One of five kinds of vata, running from the head (cranial) downwards (caudal)

Udara: Abdomen

Undhiya: Dish made of mixed vegetables

Upa-dhatu: No main tissue, but secondary, supporting tissue

Upadrava: Complication

Upashama: Symptoms that decrease after a treatment

Upasaya: Abatement of a disease through the application of medicine, herbs or diets

Upastambha: Supporting pillar

Upyoga-samstha: Teaching, doctrine, announcement

Upyokta: Present person

Usna: hot, warm, passionate

Uttanapadasana: An exercise in yoga (asana)

V

Vagabhatta: Historical scholar of ayurveda, wrote "Astanga Sangraha" and "Astanga Hryda"

Vaidya: Ayurvedic scholar; healer, medic

Vajikarana: Teaching of the aphrodisiacs; support of virility

Vamana: To vomit; also in combination with or caused by emetics

Vanaspatya: Tree, bush or weed

Varsha: Monsoon

Varuna: God of water, seas and rivers

Vasa: Spring

Vata: Wind or air as one of the five biological main energies of the body

Vata-tapika: To be exposed to air and heat or sun; to be outdoors

Vata-vyadhi: Illness due to a deterioration of the vatas

Vataj: Vataic; referring to the vata

Vayu: Wind or air as one of the five elements

Veda: Old book of wisdom; sacred knowledge

Vibhitaka: Herb; Terminalia bellirica

Vidahi: Heat, fire; acidic tissue damage; chemical burn

Vijnyana: Intelligence

Vikrti: Sickness; change, transformation; imbalance, emotional restlessness

Vipaka: mature, ripe; slightly digested chymus

Virecana: Pureness

Virya: Potence, power, strength; sperm; virility

Visada: clear, pure, glowing, shining

Visesa: Different, unequal, opposing, antagonistic

Vismagni: Disorder in the digestive fire (digestion)

Visravana: To let something flow or grow

Vyakta: Physical or morphological feature

Vyana (vata): One of five kinds of vata, circulates in all the body

W

X

Y

Yama: Rule, instruction, guidelines

Yamya: leader, guide; dominant force

Yakrit: Liver

Yashasvati: A form of nadi in yoga

Yastimadhu: Herb; Glycyrrhiza glabra

Yoga: to connect, tie together; participate, be tied to something; psychophysical teaching or guidelines to find your inner self and connect the soul with the uber-soul. Yoga as a teaching is split into several schools and doctrines, in some cases specific to certain regions.

Z