churinga

noun

chu·​rin·​ga

chüˈriŋgə

variants or less commonly tjurunga

tyüˈrəŋgə

or tjuringa

-ˈriŋgə

plural churingas or churinga

: an object of wood or stone that is considered sacred by various aboriginal tribes of Central Australia and that is often elliptical in shape, bears incised designs, is believed to represent either the spiritual double of a living native or the embodiment of the spirit of a totemic ancestor, and is generally regarded as secret

sometimes : the quality of sacredness compare bull-roarer

Word History

Etymology

native name in Australia

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!