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
Rajas: Passion; action
Rajasic: sharp, passionate, vehement, active
Rakshasa: demon, demonic, evil, obsessed
Rakta: Blood
Raktadhatu: Blood
Rakta-moksana: To let blood for therapeutic purposes
Rakta-vaha srotas: Blood vessels; circulatory system
Ranjaka: Colour; one of five kinds of pitta; the colour of blood
Rasa: Juice, fluid, essence; taste
Rasa-vaha srotas: Transport of plasma and lymph
Rasayana: Substances and objects such as herbs, nutrients or exercises that have rejuvenating or refreshing effects
Rasi: Amount, number; measure for quantities; a lot
Ratricarya: Exercise of the evening and night
Rigveda: A kind of veda
Ritucarya: Seasonal exercises and treatments
Roga: Disease
Ruksa: dry, skinny, undernourished
Rupa: Sign, symptom indicating a disease or dysfunction
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
