balam

noun

ba·​lam

ˈbäləm

plural -s

: a supernatural being in Mayan religion that guards cornfields and villages

the Mayas of Central America speak of Balam as a god of agriculture, describing him as an old fellow with a long head. He walks in the air and whistles as he goes—a much-dreaded nocturnal being

—W. D. Wallis

Word History

Etymology

Maya

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

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