agama

1 of 2

noun (1)

aga·ma

ə-ˈgā-mə,

ˈa-gə-mə

capitalized : a genus (the type of the family Agamidae) of Old World terrestrial lizards including many that are of bright and changeable colors

plural -s : a lizard of the genus Agama

agama

2 of 2

noun (2)

aga·ma

ˈä-gə-mə

plural -s

: one of a class of tantric treatises accepted as scripture within Hinduism and Buddhism compare tantra

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

borrowed from New Latin (Linnaeus), probably borrowed from Sranan (or a related English-based creole of Suriname, whence modern Sranan agama, "any of various large lizards or small iguanas," Saramaccan, "chameleon,"), borrowed from Gbe àgãmã "chameleon"

Noun (2)

Sanskrit āgama, literally, arrival, acquisition of knowledge, from āgacchati he comes, arrives, from ā towards + gacchati he goes; akin to gamati he goes

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

1803, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of agama was in 1796

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