deva

"god, good spirit" in Hindu religion, from Skt. deva "a god," originally "a shining one," from *div- "to shine," thus cognate with Gk. dios "divine" and Zeus, and L. deus "god" (O.Latin deivos). Fem. form devi is used for "goddess," also (with capital D-) for the mother goddess in Hinduism. Hence, also, devadasi "temple dancing girl," lit. "female servant of a god," from dasi "slave girl." Also Devanagari, the formal alphabet of Skt. writings, perhaps originally "divine city script," from nagara "city."