'lingam' originates from Sanskrit, specifically the word 'liṅga', where the root meant 'mark' or 'sign'.

'lingam' passed from Sanskrit 'liṅga' into later Indic languages and was adopted into English (via colonial and scholarly contacts) as 'lingam', used especially in translations and descriptions of Hindu worship practices.

Initially it meant 'mark' or 'sign' in Sanskrit, but in later religious contexts it became specifically associated with the emblem of Shiva (the phallic symbol) and this specialized religious meaning is dominant in modern English usage.