English word origin

Etymology of Mara

From Hebrew מָרָא (mara, “bitterness”), derived from Hebrew מַר (mar, “bitter”). The modern given name may also be shortened from Maria or Tamara.

6 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 6 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

name

A female given name from Hebrew.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Hebrew מָרָא (mara, “bitterness”), derived from Hebrew מַר (mar, “bitter”). The modern given name may also be shortened from Maria or Tamara.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Derivation mentionמָרָאhe · bitterness
Derivation mentionמַרhe · bitter

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "wp",
      "args": {
        "1": "+ (name)"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "he",
        "3": "מָרָא",
        "tr": "mara",
        "t": "bitterness"
      },
      "expansion": "Hebrew מָרָא (mara, “bitterness”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "he",
        "3": "מַר",
        "tr": "mar",
        "t": "bitter"
      },
      "expansion": "Hebrew מַר (mar, “bitter”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "מָרָא",
      "מרא#Hebrew"
    ],
    [
      "מַר",
      "מר#Hebrew"
    ],
    [
      "Maria",
      "Maria#English"
    ],
    [
      "Tamara",
      "Tamara#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "name",
      "glosses": [
        "A female given name from Hebrew."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "rare"
      ],
      "recordId": "2c3bcfb96de104b360275945fd05b4ab0f6531dcf90e2ba6ed465326b75791d1",
      "rawRecordSha256": "2d16360f4601995e51a771caf9c2d871e644dd53c4e7559a2165f20f609e52a5",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 1492092
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

name

A surname from Irish.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From O'Mara, a variant of O'Meara.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "wp",
      "args": {
        "1": "+ (name)"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "O'Mara",
      "O'Mara#English"
    ],
    [
      "O'Meara",
      "O'Meara#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "name",
      "glosses": [
        "A surname from Irish."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "b7671b5b67b84f4594a14f57bd69cb7bf6e2a95b4d90b6aea946aaf5c5ae2667",
      "rawRecordSha256": "b3688c29b94d602b1fd4713e100bea064f11c7a033cf89f468fcde4220d2eb8c",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 1492093
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗

name

The Hindu god of death; opposite of Kama. · The Buddhist demon who tempts people away from enlightenment

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Sanskrit मर (mara), from Proto-Indo-European *mer- (“to die”). Doublet of mortality.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mentionमरsa
Derivation mention*mer-ine-pro

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "wp",
      "args": {
        "1": "+ (demon)"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "etymid",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Hindu god"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "sa",
        "3": "मर"
      },
      "expansion": "Sanskrit मर (mara)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*mer-",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to die"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *mer- (“to die”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "मर",
      "मर#Sanskrit"
    ],
    [
      "*mer-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/mer-"
    ],
    [
      "mortality",
      "mortality"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "name",
      "glosses": [
        "The Hindu god of death; opposite of Kama.",
        "The Buddhist demon who tempts people away from enlightenment"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Hinduism"
      ],
      "recordId": "8e743084eecc3ba7671cae18435dbb3375e27348279ccc7353fd50a4a241fd6f",
      "rawRecordSha256": "b90e36f3573ad2d13f765ba078f737a25a7e49fedcdb7c573ee3fad4aaf58248",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 1492094
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 5

Original entry ↗

name

The Slavic goddess of winter and death; Marena or Marzanna.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

No narrative was extracted for this section. Available source templates and references appear below; no ancestor chain has been invented to fill the gap.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "wp",
      "args": {
        "1": "Morana (goddess)"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "name",
      "glosses": [
        "The Slavic goddess of winter and death; Marena or Marzanna."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "60d4085ad3a5357b1d2338fd37c11b59fbc78258f4846b8fcef699ddf6a8c1bb",
      "rawRecordSha256": "831119ec017b1583f1dbce25f01eb764c2e35fcd3bc0f08fa179699d44d2065e",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 1492095
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 6

Original entry ↗

noun

A member of a predominantly agricultural tribe of southern Assam and western Burma.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

No narrative was extracted for this section. Available source templates and references appear below; no ancestor chain has been invented to fill the gap.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "wp",
      "args": {
        "1": "+ people"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A member of a predominantly agricultural tribe of southern Assam and western Burma."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "eb47d609169deffa3d4c2d5833c4a90aae78dee0f2e8c6cd2f453305d4c135f4",
      "rawRecordSha256": "75693b65d233c178e32e948148c32c3578989419e7750d22466664e9d919064c",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 1492096
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 7

Original entry ↗

name

A river in Tanzania and Kenya.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

No narrative was extracted for this section. Available source templates and references appear below; no ancestor chain has been invented to fill the gap.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "wp",
      "args": {
        "1": "+ River"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "name",
      "glosses": [
        "A river in Tanzania and Kenya."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "db0d7eb1da722fedaf6eea9cb9b167558886f5557471389c1e671b4299ca0b68",
      "rawRecordSha256": "b484ee465294e86f6f89ec3c797f28ff91d80fb2a7e8be36be39ac8c74927af9",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 1492097
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for Mara →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-TWFyYQ