What does "mara" mean?
A nightmare; a spectre or wraith-like creature in Germanic and particularly Scandinavian folklore; a female demon who torments people in sleep by crouching on their chests or stomachs, or by causing terrifying visions.
Mara
/ˈmɑːɹə/ name, noun
name, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A nightmare; a spectre or wraith-like creature in Germanic and particularly Scandinavian folklore; a female demon who torments people in sleep by crouching on their chests or stomachs, or by causing terrifying visions.
- Grammar: mara is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: animal, antelope, armadillo, bat.
- Useful contrasts: enlightenment, virtue.
- Usage evidence: The hungry lions were eagerly anticipating the arrival of the wildebeest on their annual migration to the green pastures of the Maasai Mara.
How to use "mara"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "mara" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "mara" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "mara" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "mara" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "mara" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "animal" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "mara", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A nightmare; a spectre or wraith-like creature in Germanic and particularly Scandinavian folklore; a female demon who torments people in sleep by crouching on their chests or stomachs, or by causing terrifying visions. European
"The corpus of related texts tells us that within rural society it was not improbable for your neighbour's envy of your fine cattle to take the form of a mara."
- 2 A type of god that prevents accomplishment or success.
"Mara means demon, or demonic influence, that hinders the practice of virtue. It may be an external spirit or an aspect of our own imperfect condition. All hindrances on the path to liberation are subsumed under the four maras. The first mara is the mara of the aggregates.[…]The second of the maras is the mara of the afflictions, which are the same as the afflictive obstructions. They are identified as a mara because they precipitate all harmful actions, from malicious gossip to murder.[…]The third mara is Devaputra, literally "son of a god," an external troublemaker who specializes in interfering with beings who are endeavoring to achieve something positive.[…]The last mara is the mara of death."
- 3 Any caviid rodent of the genus Dolichotis, common in the Patagonian steppes of Argentina.
"Maras have a white patch of fur on the rump that they flash when running, an adaptation they share with several species of deer and antelopes."
- 4 A Latin American criminal gang. US
- 5 A member of a predominantly agricultural tribe of southern Assam and western Burma.
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- 6 hare-like rodent of the Pampas of Argentina wordnet
- 7 Any malicious or evil spirit.
"The mara is the spirit that causes illness, accidents, and mishaps. The only protection against it is another mara who befriends a person or a group. A mara who becomes friendly is called a gunik. This transformation occurs when a mara comes to a person in a dream and states a desire to be friendly. But there are deceitful maras who pretend to be friendly, yet will betray the person who trusts them."
Proper Noun
- 1 A Maran Australian Aboriginal prefixing language spoken in southeastern Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.
- 2 A female given name from Hebrew. rare
"Call me not Naomi, call me Mara; for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me."
- 3 A surname from Irish.
- 4 The Hindu god of death; opposite of Kama. Hinduism
- 5 The Slavic goddess of winter and death; Marena or Marzanna.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A river in Tanzania and Kenya.
"In the dry season, when the Mara becomes narrower and shallower, certain stretches of it become especially thick with hippos—and their dung."
- 7 The Buddhist demon who tempts people away from enlightenment
Antonyms
Example
"The hungry lions were eagerly anticipating the arrival of the wildebeest on their annual migration to the green pastures of the Maasai Mara."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "mara"?
Common synonyms include: animal, antelope, armadillo, bat, demon, dolichotis patagonum.
How do you use "mara" in a sentence?
The hungry lions were eagerly anticipating the arrival of the wildebeest on their annual migration to the green pastures of the Maasai Mara.
How do you pronounce "mara"?
Pronounced /ˈmɑːɹə/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Old Norse mara, from Proto-Germanic *marǭ, cognate with Old English mare or mære. Doublet of mare. See nightmare.
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Sanskrit मार (māra).
Etymology 3
From New World Spanish mara.
Etymology 4
From Hebrew מָרָא (mara, “bitterness”), derived from Hebrew מַר (mar, “bitter”). The modern given name may also be shortened from Maria or Tamara.
Etymology 5
From O'Mara, a variant of O'Meara.
Etymology 6
From Sanskrit मर (mara), from Proto-Indo-European *mer- (“to die”). Doublet of mortality.