maya

n. a member of the group of people from Central America and Mexico who built a famous ancient civilization.

n. a member of the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica, particularly those inhabiting southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize.

“The Maya built incredible stone pyramids that you can still visit today.”

“Scholars continue to study how the Maya managed their complex agricultural systems across the lowlands of the Yucatan Peninsula.”

adj. relating to the Maya people, their culture, or their history.

adj. pertaining to the Maya peoples or their civilization; often used interchangeably with 'Mayan' in general contexts, though 'Maya' is preferred for the people and culture.

“We spent the afternoon looking at Maya art in the national museum.”

“The exhibition features a wide array of Maya hieroglyphics and pottery recovered from recent archaeological excavations.”

n. in Indian religions, the idea that the physical world is an illusion and not the true reality.

n. in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, the power by which the universe is made to appear as a phenomenal reality, masking the true spiritual essence.

“In some traditions, the goal of meditation is to see past the maya of the material world.”

“The philosopher argued that the human ego is the primary lens through which maya creates the perception of duality.”

Technical

n. the language spoken by the Maya people, especially in the Yucatan area.

n. the Yucatec Maya language or, more broadly, the family of languages spoken by Maya peoples.

“He learned to speak a little Maya while living in a small village in Mexico.”

“Linguists have identified over thirty distinct languages within the Maya family, many of which are still spoken by millions today.”

Technical