माया

In ancient India, māyā meant both "magic" and "illusion"—the power that makes the unreal seem real. It comes from the root mā, "to measure" or "to form."

In Hindu philosophy, māyā is the cosmic force that veils the true nature of reality. The world we see is a magnificent illusion, a divine magic show.

The concept traveled west through Schopenhauer, who was deeply influenced by Indian philosophy. He saw māyā as the veil that hides the underlying unity of all things.

Today, the Maya of Central America share a name but not an etymology—their name means "illusion" in Sanskrit, but in Yucatec Maya it means something entirely different.