mela

American

[mey-lah] / ˈmeɪ lɑ /

noun

a religious fair, especially one held in connection with a festival.
a throng of people.

mela British

/ ˈmiːlə, ˈmɛlə /

noun

an Asian cultural or religious fair or festival

"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

Etymology

Origin of mela

1790–1800; < Hindi < Sanskrit melā assembly, company

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Since the incident, authorities have stepped up security measures in the festival and have also banned vehicles from entering the mela grounds until 4 February.

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2025

Over the weekend, groups of holy men arrived at the mela grounds in large noisy processions.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2025

However, infections are being reported from the mela ground even before the start of the event.

From BBC • Jan. 13, 2022

Thus we're offered exemplary docs on Iraq, 10 years on, or eco-friendly homes, on oil in Ireland, or the special mela that takes place in India every 12 years.

From The Guardian • Mar. 16, 2013

Prominent transgressors in this line are the Pundas, specially interested in the mela, who do all in their power to set the people against us.

From Life and Work in Benares and Kumaon, 1839-1877 by Kennedy, James

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023