ashvamedha
|ash-va-med-ha|
/ˌæʃvəˈmɛdə/
Vedic horse sacrifice
Etymology
'ashvamedha' originates from Sanskrit, specifically the word 'aśvamedhá', where 'aśva' meant 'horse' and 'medhá' meant 'sacrifice' or 'offering'.
'ashvamedha' entered English via 18th–19th century Orientalist scholarship and translations of Sanskrit texts. The Sanskrit 'aśvamedhá' was transliterated in various forms (e.g. 'ashwamedha') and eventually standardized in modern English as 'ashvamedha'.
Initially it referred specifically to the Vedic ritual of horse sacrifice; over time, English usage has also used it to mean the horse involved or, metaphorically, a grand royal or state ceremony.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an ancient Vedic horse-sacrifice ritual performed by a king to assert, renew, or display his sovereignty and power.
The king performed the ashvamedha to assert his sovereignty.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the horse used or released as part of the ashvamedha ritual; by extension, the ritual event or its political-symbolic function.
The ashvamedha horse was allowed to roam freely for a year.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/28 17:34