ka
UK[kɑː]US[kɑː]
n
In ancient Egyptian religion, a spiritual entity believed to be a person's life force or spiritual double, surviving after death.
Etymology
The term 'ka' is a direct borrowing from the Egyptian language, where it was written with the hieroglyph representing two upraised arms. It entered the English lexicon through Egyptology in the 19th century as scholars deciphered ancient texts. The concept is central to Egyptian anthropology, denoting a vital spiritual essence distinct from the body and the soul ('ba'). Unlike many English words built from combinable roots, 'ka' remains an unanalyzed whole, preserving its original form and specialized meaning from its source culture.
Analysis
The word 'ka' is a simplex loanword from Egyptian. It functions as a single, indivisible lexical unit representing a specific concept.
Examples
The ancient Egyptians believed the ka required sustenance, which is why food offerings were left in tombs.
Statues in tombs were sometimes intended as vessels for the ka of the deceased.
Egyptologists interpret the ka as a kind of protective spirit or life force associated with an individual.