A unit of liquid measurement used in some South Asian countries, or a variant spelling of 'aum' (the sacred syllable in Hinduism).
From Hindi/Urdu 'ām,' a traditional measure. Alternatively, a variant of 'Om/Aum,' the sacred sound in Sanskrit. The two meanings represent different language families in South Asia.
One word, two completely different meanings that traveled different routes into English—one through trade (measurement) and one through spirituality (sacred sound). It's proof that when languages meet, they create beautiful ambiguities.
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