vanara means forest dwellers, monkeys or apes.
Why “vanara” is a great word
A being of Hindu mythology, possessing a human-like mind and spirit within a simian form, who dwells deep within the forest. Borrowed from Sanskrit वानर (vānara), traditionally analyzed as a compound of वन (vana, "forest") and नर (nara, "man"), hence "forest man." Unlike a "monkey," a creature of zoology and instinct, or a "rakshasa," a demonic foe of the gods, the vanara is a noble ally, a bridge between the animal kingdom and divine purpose. It is the rustle of leaves in a sacred grove that resolves into a sentient gaze, the agile shadow swinging through dappled canopy to answer a hero's call, the fervent loyalty of a bestial heart devoted to a cosmic cause—a reminder that wisdom and valor wear many skins.
Etymology
Borrowed from Sanskrit वानर (vānara).
noun
- Forest dwellers, monkeys or apes.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- manimal 57% match — A fanciful life form that is part human and part beast; a creature recognizable as human but possessing physical or primitive behavioral characteristics that are exclusive to animals. vs vanara →
- simian 56% match — Of or pertaining to apes and monkeys. vs vanara →
- manasaputra 56% match — Manasaputra, the mind born sons of Lord Brahma. vs vanara →
- weremonkey 55% match — A shapeshifter who can assume the form of a monkey. vs vanara →
- anthroparian 55% match — A human or a creature having human characteristics or traits. vs vanara →
- monke 55% match — A monkey or ape. vs vanara →
- yaksha 54% match — A kind of supernatural being; can be a malevolent demon or a beneficent tutelary deity. vs vanara →
- wereman 53% match — A shapeshifter, generally non-human (especially a wolf), who can assume the form of a man. vs vanara →