mandala

noun mahn-DAH-lah Rare

Origin: From Sanskrit 'mandala' (circle, disc).

Usage Note

Mandala is used in French both in its original Buddhist and Hindu religious sense (a sacred geometric diagram) and in its popular secular sense as a circular colouring pattern used for relaxation (cahier de mandalas à colorier). The word is invariable in French plural: des mandalas. It entered mainstream French vocabulary through the mindfulness and art-therapy movements of the 2000s.

Examples

"Elle colorie un mandala pour se relaxer."

Natural Translation

She colours a mandala to relax.

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