mandala

[ muhn-dl-uh ]

noun
  1. Oriental Art. a schematized representation of the cosmos, chiefly characterized by a concentric configuration of geometric shapes, each of which contains an image of a deity or an attribute of a deity.

  2. (in Jungian psychology) a symbol representing the effort to reunify the self.

Origin of mandala

1
First recorded in 1855–60, mandala is from the Sanskrit word maṇḍala circle

Words Nearby mandala

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How to use mandala in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mandala

mandala

/ (ˈmændələ, mænˈdɑːlə) /


noun
  1. Hindu & Buddhist art any of various designs symbolizing the universe, usually circular

  2. psychol such a symbol expressing a person's striving for unity of the self

Origin of mandala

1
Sanskrit: circle

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012