mata

American  

[mah-tuh, mah-tah] / ˈmɑ tə, ˈmɑ tɑ /

Or Mata

noun

Indian English.

1. mother (also used as a polite term of address for any older woman).

   My mata regularly made me puris with potatoes for breakfast.

2. a female spiritual leader or the mother, grandmother, or wife of a male spiritual leader (also used as a title with the leader’s name).

   This temple was built as a tribute to Mata Sheetla Devi, wife of the famous Guru Dronacharya.

   The lodge owner turned out to be a mata whom the villagers visited to hear their astrological predictions.

3. a female deity (also used as a title with the deity’s name).

   He was a devotee writing about lord Rama and mata Sita.

   Cows are considered to be a manifestation of the goddess Gau Mata.

---

Etymology

Origin of mata

First recorded in 1870–75; from Sanskrit mātā, nominative of mātṛ “mother”; mother ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Strong gusts distort people’s celebratory cries of “Jai mata di” and “Jai shiv shankar.”

From Seattle Times • Apr. 27, 2024

Along with the mata mata turtle and reptile known as the tuatara, among the other animals studied were caecilians, a slithery type of amphibian with an outward appearance akin to snakes.

From Salon • Nov. 9, 2022

El equipo también se informó sobre las prácticas de esterilización, como el baño de instrumentos en peróxido de hidrógeno en fase de vapor, que mata los contaminantes de una superficie.

From New York Times • Sep. 10, 2022

Born in 2005 as T-15 - her mother, known as "badi mata" or "big mother" was also a famous tigress.

From BBC • Jan. 17, 2022

Isang dalagang may corona at caloob saan ay may mata.

From A Little Book of Filipino Riddles by Starr, Frederick