# Maya

/ˈmaɪə/ (US) · /mˈaɪə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/maya
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. the people

noun · CEFR B2

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

For teachers: 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.

### 2. relating to the people

adjective · CEFR B2

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

For teachers: 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.

### 3. spiritual illusion

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

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

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Usually treated as an uncountable noun in philosophical contexts.

### 4. a language

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

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

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- In some traditions, the physical world is seen as maya.
- The philosopher argued that our attachment to material wealth is a result of being trapped in maya.
- Advaita Vedanta teaches that through meditation and wisdom, one can pierce the veil of maya to realise the fundamental unity of the self with the absolute.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.