agalma

noun

agal·​ma

ə-ˈgal-mə

plural agalmata

ə-ˈgal-mə-tə

: memorial

specifically : a primitive Greek statue of a god

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek ágalma "ornament, finery, statue offered to a god, any statue," from agal-, stem of agállein "to glorify, exalt, pay honor to" and agállesthai "to glory, exult in" + -ma, resultative noun suffix

First Known Use

circa 1773, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!