Agiary

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A structure specifically designated for the worship and rituals of Zoroastrians where a sacred fire is kept burning
2. A religious edifice associated with Zoroastrianism which serves as a venue for the maintenance of holy flames
3. A building dedicated to Zoroastrian worship that houses an eternal sacred fire

Etymology: "Agiary" names a Zoroastrian fire temple, and its origin lies in the Gujarati language of western India, where the word is "agiyārī". That term comes from "āg", meaning fire, which is the same root that gives Persian "ātash" and is linked to the ancient Zoroastrian reverence for flame as a sacred presence. English borrowed the word directly from Gujarati, the language of the Parsi community, descendants of Zoroastrians who settled in Gujarat after leaving Persia. The Parsis kept their sacred fires burning in dedicated temples, and the Gujarati name for these buildings was adopted into English to describe them specifically, rather than being translated into a general term such as "fire temple".