naga

See also: Appendix:Variations of "naga"

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɑːɡə/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːɡə
• Hyphenation: na‧ga

Etymology 1

From an Australian Aboriginal language; cf. Wulna nākā (“dress, covering”)

Noun

naga (plural nagas)

1. (Australia) A loincloth.
   • 1926 October 30, The Sydney Morning Herald:

     Boys and many of the men wear the naga, akin to bathing trunks […]

   • 1938, Xavier Herbert, chapter II, in Capricornia, page 22:

     […] a young lubra wearing nothing but a naga of paper-bark rose and came forward shyly.

   • 2006, Message Stick, ABC1, Friday, 30 June, 2006

     PAUL RUNDLE: Backstage, they were just asking us, "Where are you from," and all that. And they were touching us and all that there, and I was just there with my little naga and, yeah. And plus we had no ochre, so we had to use sunscreen.

   • 2008, Derrick Tomlinson, "Too white to be regarded as Aborigines: An historical analysis of policies for the protection of Aborigines and the assimilation of Aborigines of mixed descent, and the role of Chief Protectors of Aborigines in the formulation and implementation of those policies, in Western Australia from 1898 to 1940" (Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)). University of Notre Dame Australia.

     They doesn’t dress like people doing the Law this time, walking in shirt and tie, they used to have naga and really truly paint up, real tribal way, you know?

Etymology 2

Mucalinda nāga sheltering Buddha; Sandstone with traces of pigment and gold, Honolulu Academy of Arts

Borrowed from Sanskrit नाग (nāga, “serpent, snake”), probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *nogʷós (“naked”) and cognate with naked.

Alternative forms

• nāga, Nāga

Noun

naga (plural nagas)

1. (Indian mythology) A member of a class of semi-divine creatures, often taking the form of a very large snake and associated with water.
   • 1974, Lawrence Durrell, Monsieur, Faber & Faber, published 1992, page 257:

     The five-coned towers form a quincunx, and their flanks are scooped into niches in each of which has been placed a smiling buddha shaded by a nine-headed naga like a big palm fan.

Translations

a semi-divine mythological creature in the form of a snake

• Assamese: please add this translation if you can
• Balinese: ᬦᬵᬕ (naga)
• Burmese: နဂါး (my) (na.ga:)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 那伽 (zh) (nàgā), 龍 / 龙 (zh) (lóng)

• French: nâga (fr) m
• Greek: νάγκα (nágka)
• Gujarati: નાગ (nāg)
• Hindi: नाग (hi) m (nāg)
• Indonesian: naga (id)
• Japanese: ナーガ (nāga), 竜 (ja) (ryū)
• Javanese: ꦤꦒ (jv) (naga)
• Kalmyk: лус (lus), луусин хан (luusin xan)
• Khmer: នាគ (km) (niək)
• Korean: 나가 (naga), 용 (ko) (yong)
• Lao: ນາກ (nāk)
• Lü: ᦓᦱᧅ (naak)
• Marathi: नाग (nāg)
• Mon: နာ် (mnw)
• Mongolian: лус (mn) (lus)
• Naga Pidgin: please add this translation if you can
• Nepali: नाग (ne) (nāg)
• Northern Thai: please add this translation if you can
• Old Javanese: nāga
• Portuguese: naga (pt) f
• Russian: нага (ru) f (naga)
• Sanskrit: नाग (sa) m (nāga)
• Shan: ၼၵႃး (shn) (nǎ káa)
• Tamil: நாக (nāka)
• Telugu: నాగ (te) (nāga)
• Thai: นาค (th) (nâak), พญานาค
• Tibetan: ཀླུ (klu)
• Urdu: ناگ m (nāg)
• Vietnamese: naga
• Zhuang: please add this translation if you can

Anagrams

• Agan, GNAA

Bikol Central

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ŋaRaq

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /naˈɡaʔ/ [n̪aˈɡaʔ]
• Hyphenation: na‧ga

Noun

nagâ (Basahan spelling ᜈᜄ)

1. wild duck

See also

• itik
• pato

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnaɡa/ [ˈn̪a.ɡa]
• Hyphenation: na‧ga

Noun

nága (Basahan spelling ᜈᜄ)

1. (archaic) the narra tree (Pterocarpus indicus)

   Synonym: nara

Cebuano

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: na‧ga
• IPA^(key): /ˈnaɡa/ [ˈn̪a.ɡɐ]

Noun

naga (plural kanagahan)

1. the narra tree (Pterocarpus indicus)
2. the wood from this tree

Synonyms

• nara

Dutch

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

naga

1. inflection of nagaan:
   1. first-person singular dependent-clause present indicative
   2. (dated or formal) singular dependent-clause present subjunctive

Anagrams

• gaan, ga na

Iban

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit नाग (nāgá, “large snake”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /naɡa/

Noun

naga

1. dragon (mythical creature)

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnaːɣa/
• Rhymes: -aːɣa

Verb

naga (weak verb, third-person singular past indicative nagaði, supine nagað)

1. to gnaw [with accusative]

Conjugation

naga – active voice (germynd)

infinitive nafnháttur		að naga
supine sagnbót		nagað
present participle lýsingarháttur nútíðar		nagandi
		indicative framsöguháttur			subjunctive viðtengingarháttur
		present nútíð	past þátíð		present nútíð	past þátíð
singular	ég	naga	nagaði		nagi	nagaði
	þú	nagar	nagaðir		nagir	nagaðir
	hann, hún, það	nagar	nagaði		nagi	nagaði
plural	við	nögum	nöguðum		nögum	nöguðum
	þið	nagið	nöguðuð		nagið	nöguðuð
	þeir, þær, þau	naga	nöguðu		nagi	nöguðu
		imperative boðháttur
singular	þú	naga (þú), nagaðu
plural	þið	nagið (þið), nagiði1

¹ Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

nagast – mediopassive voice (miðmynd)

infinitive nafnháttur		að nagast
supine sagnbót		nagast
present participle lýsingarháttur nútíðar		nagandist (rare; see appendix)
		indicative framsöguháttur			subjunctive viðtengingarháttur
		present nútíð	past þátíð		present nútíð	past þátíð
singular	ég	nagast	nagaðist		nagist	nagaðist
	þú	nagast	nagaðist		nagist	nagaðist
	hann, hún, það	nagast	nagaðist		nagist	nagaðist
plural	við	nögumst	nöguðumst		nögumst	nöguðumst
	þið	nagist	nöguðust		nagist	nöguðust
	þeir, þær, þau	nagast	nöguðust		nagist	nöguðust
		imperative boðháttur
singular	þú	nagast (þú), nagastu
plural	þið	nagist (þið), nagisti1

¹ Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

nagaður — past participle (lýsingarháttur þátíðar)

strong declension (sterk beyging)	singular (eintala)			plural (fleirtala)
	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)
nominative (nefnifall)	nagaður	nöguð	nagað	nagaðir	nagaðar	nöguð
accusative (þolfall)	nagaðan	nagaða	nagað	nagaða	nagaðar	nöguð
dative (þágufall)	nöguðum	nagaðri	nöguðu	nöguðum	nöguðum	nöguðum
genitive (eignarfall)	nagaðs	nagaðrar	nagaðs	nagaðra	nagaðra	nagaðra
weak declension (veik beyging)	singular (eintala)			plural (fleirtala)
	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)
nominative (nefnifall)	nagaði	nagaða	nagaða	nöguðu	nöguðu	nöguðu
accusative (þolfall)	nagaða	nöguðu	nagaða	nöguðu	nöguðu	nöguðu
dative (þágufall)	nagaða	nöguðu	nagaða	nöguðu	nöguðu	nöguðu
genitive (eignarfall)	nagaða	nöguðu	nagaða	nöguðu	nöguðu	nöguðu

Derived terms

• naga sig í handarbökin

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈna.ɡa/, [ˈna.ɡa]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɡa, -a
• Hyphenation: na‧ga

Etymology 1

Inherited from Malay naga, from Sanskrit नाग (nāgá, “large snake”).

Noun

naga (plural naga-naga)

1. (literal) naga: a member of a class of semi-divine creatures, often taking the form of a very large snake and associated with water
2. dragon
   2. A legendary serpentine or reptilian creature. (mythical creature)
      1. In European mythologies, a gigantic beast, typically reptilian with leathery bat-like wings, lion-like claws, scaly skin and a serpent-like body, often a monster with fiery breath.
      2. In Eastern Asian mythologies, a large, snake-like monster with the eyes of a hare, the horns of a stag and the claws of a tiger, usually beneficent.
   3. An animal of various species that resemble a dragon in appearance.
   4. The (historical) Chinese empire or the People's Republic of China.
   5. (figurative) Something very formidable or dangerous.
3. (figurative) a term referring to a group of influential Chinese businessmen in Indonesia, especially those with close ties to the New Order government, and often associated with great economic and political power, although the group's membership has never been officially confirmed

Synonyms

• sekuik

Derived terms

• naga-naga

• naga animatronik
• naga bura
• naga gentala
• naga hari
• naga kecil
• naga morsarang
• naga sekuik
• naga tahun

Etymology 2

Unknown (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

naga (plural naga-naga)

1. black marks on the body since birth and have an influence on a person's life path

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Balinese [Term?].

Noun

naga (plural naga-naga)

1. (dialect: Bali) calculation of the number of good rafters for doors

Further reading

• “naga” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit नाग (nāga, “snake”), probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *nogʷós (“naked”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈna.ɡa/
• Rhymes: -aɡa
• Hyphenation: nà‧ga

Noun

naga m (invariable)

1. (Buddhist art) a representation of a human torso with a serpentine body

Further reading

• naga in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Javanese

Romanization

naga

1. Romanization of ꦤꦒ

Laboya

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈnaːɡa]

Noun

naga

1. jackfruit

References

• Allahverdi Verdizade (2019) “naga”, in Lamboya word list‎^[1], Leiden: LexiRumah

Latvian

Noun

naga m

1. genitive singular of nags

Lower Sorbian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnaɡa/

Adjective

naga

1. feminine nominative singular of nagi

Maia

Noun

naga

1. part; piece

Malay

Naga cina ("Chinese dragon")

Naga Barat ("Western dragon")

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit नाग (nāgá, “large snake”).

Pronunciation

• (Johor-Selangor) IPA^(key): /naɡə/
• (Riau-Lingga) IPA^(key): /naɡa/
• Rhymes: -aɡə, -ɡə, -ə
• Rhymes: -a

Noun

naga (Jawi spelling ناݢ, plural naga-naga)

1. dragon (mythical creature)

Further reading

• “naga” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

Maranao

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit नाग (nāgá, “large snake”).

Noun

naga

1. dragon

References

• A Maranao Dictionary, by Howard P. McKaughan and Batua A. Macaraya

Murui Huitoto

Etymology

Cognates include Minica Huitoto naga and Nüpode Huitoto naga.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈnaɡa]
• Hyphenation: na‧ga

Determiner

naga

1. each, every

References

• Katarzyna Izabela Wojtylak (2017) A grammar of Murui (Bue): a Witotoan language of Northwest Amazonia.‎^[2], Townsville: James Cook University press (PhD thesis), page 154
• Shirley Burtch (1983) Diccionario Huitoto Murui (Tomo I) (Linguistica Peruana No. 20)‎^[3] (in Spanish), Yarinacocha, Peru: Instituto Lingüístico de Verano, page 184

Mwotlap

Etymology

From na- +‎ ga.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /naɣa/

Noun

naga

1. Determinate form of ga (“kava”)

References

• François, Alexandre. 2025. Online Mwotlap–English–French cultural dictionary. Electronic files. Paris: CNRS. (Pdf version) – entry ga.

Northern Kurdish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nɑːˈɡɑː/

Adverb

naga (Arabic spelling ناگا)

1. Alternative form of niha (“now”)

References

• Chyet, Michael L. (2020) “naga”, in Ferhenga Birûskî: Kurmanji–English Dictionary (Language Series; 2), volume 2, London: Transnational Press, page 52

Northern Sotho

Noun

naga

1. land, country

Old Javanese

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit नग (naga, “mountain”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /na.ɡa/
• Rhymes: -ɡa
• Homophone: nāga
• Hyphenation: na‧ga

Noun

naga

1. mountain

   Synonyms: acala, adri, arga, giri, gotra, gunuṅ, meru, naga, pārśwa, parwata, śaila, śikha, wukir

Further reading

• "naga" in P.J. Zoetmulder with the collaboration of S.O. Robson, Old Javanese-English Dictionary. 's-Gravenhage: M. Nijhoff, 1982.

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈna.ɡa/
• Rhymes: -aɡa
• Syllabification: na‧ga

Adjective

naga

1. feminine nominative/vocative singular of nagi

Portuguese

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈna.ɡɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈna.ɡɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈna.ɡa/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈna.ɡɐ/ [ˈna.ɣɐ]

• Hyphenation: na‧ga

Noun

naga f (plural nagas)

1. (Indian mythology) naga (semi-divine creature taking the form of a giant snake)

Related terms

• naja

Swahili

Noun

naga class IX (plural naga class X)

1. rugby

   Synonym: gori

Tagalog

Etymology 1

Ultimately from Sanskrit नाग (nāgá, “large snake”). Compare Kapampangan naga, Maranao naga, and Malay naga.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog)
  • IPA^(key): /ˈnaɡa/ [ˈn̪aː.ɣɐ]
    • Rhymes: -aɡa
  • IPA^(key): /ˈnaɡaʔ/ [ˈn̪aː.ɣɐʔ] (obsolete)
• Syllabification: na‧ga

Noun

naga (Baybayin spelling ᜈᜄ)

1. dragon

   Synonym: dragon

2. figurehead on the prow of ships

   Synonym: gandawari

Derived terms

• nagaan

Etymology 2

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *naʀah. Doublet of nara.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈnaɡa/ [ˈn̪aː.ɣɐ]
• Rhymes: -aɡa
• Syllabification: na‧ga

Noun

naga (Baybayin spelling ᜈᜄ)

1. a species of narra

Further reading

• “naga”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018
• Noceda, Fr. Juan José de, Sanlucar, Fr. Pedro de (1860) Vocabulario de la lengua tagala, compuesto por varios religiosos doctos y graves‎^[4] (in Spanish), Manila: Ramirez y Giraudier
• Santos, Fr. Domingo de los (1835) Tomas Oliva, editor, Vocabulario de la lengua tagala: primera, y segunda parte.‎^[5] (in Spanish), La imprenta nueva de D. Jose Maria Dayot
• San Buena Ventura, Fr. Pedro de (1613) Juan de Silva, editor, Vocabulario de lengua tagala: El romance castellano puesto primero‎^[6], La Noble Villa de Pila, page 129: “Cabeça) Naga (pp) de ſierpe en [la proa] del navio”

Anagrams

• anga, gana, gaan

Yakan

Etymology

Ultimately borrowed from Sanskrit नाग (nāgá, “large snake”).

Noun

naga

1. dragon