Purana

noun

Pu·​ra·​na pu̇-ˈrä-nə How to pronounce Purana (audio)
often capitalized
: one of a class of Hindu sacred writings chiefly from a.d. 300 to a.d. 750 comprising popular myths and legends and other traditional lore
Puranic adjective

Word History

Etymology

Sanskrit purāṇa, from purāṇa ancient, from purā formerly; akin to Sanskrit pura before, Greek para beside, pro before — more at for

First Known Use

1684, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Purana was in 1684

Dictionary Entries Near Purana

Cite this Entry

“Purana.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Purana. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Purana

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!