lingam

noun

lin·​gam ˈliŋ-gəm How to pronounce lingam (audio)
variants or linga
ˈliŋ-gə How to pronounce lingam (audio)
: a stylized phallic symbol that is worshipped in Hinduism as a sign of generative power and that represents the god Shiva compare yoni

Examples of lingam in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Transforming himself into a boar, Vishnu tunneled down into the earth to search for the origin of the lingam of light. — Robert J. Stephens, The Conversation, 27 Sep. 2024 In the popular telling, a Kashmiri Muslim named Buta Malik discovered the Shiva lingam in the eighteenth century. — Fahad Shah, Foreign Affairs, 10 Sep. 2015

Word History

Etymology

Sanskrit liṅga (nominative liṅgam), literally, characteristic

First Known Use

1719, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lingam was in 1719

Browse Nearby Words

Lingala
lingam
Lingayat
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lingam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lingam. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lingam

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lingam

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