Maharashtra
name
name ·4 syllables ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Proper Noun
- 1 A state in western India. Capitals: Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) and Nagpur (winter capital).
Example
More examples"Mumbai is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra."
Etymology
From Sanskrit महाराष्ट्र (mahārāṣṭra), derived from महा- (mahā-), combining form of महत् (mahat, “great”) + राष्ट्र (rāṣṭra), a dynasty that once ruled the area. In Sanskrit, the word राष्ट्र (rāṣṭra) means “nation” or “dominion”. Other theories indicate that the word "rāṣṭra" in this context derives from रत्त (ratta) (a corruption of “Rashtrakuta”, a dynasty that once ruled the area), a clan known as राष्ट्रिक (rāṣṭrika) (found in some of King Ashoka’s inscriptions) or रथ (ratha, “chariot”). Doublet of Maratha.
More for "maharashtra"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.