Manipur

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A landlocked state in the far northeast of India, bordering Myanmar, known for its hills, lakes and diverse ethnic communities
2. An Indian state located in the northeastern part of the country, sharing a border with Myanmar and noted for its mountainous terrain
3. A northeastern Indian state with a hilly landscape, a famous lake and a population of many different tribal and ethnic groups

Etymology: Manipur is an Indian state in the northeast, and its name comes from Sanskrit "maṇipūra", meaning "abundance of jewels." The word is a compound of "maṇi", "jewel", and "pūra", "abundance", so the name is a description rather than a personal or tribal label. It reached English through Bengali, where the form was "monipur", before being recorded in its current spelling. The Sanskrit compound is the source of the English place name, and the sense of plenty is built into its two parts. Because the name simply describes a place rich in gems, it has the same kind of origin as many older Indian place names, which were often descriptive phrases rather than arbitrary labels.