Definition of Jataka

< Jat

jato >

Ja·ta·ka    (jät-k) KEY 

NOUN:

Any of a genre of Buddhist texts containing stories about a former birth of Gautama Buddha.

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ETYMOLOGY:
Sanskrit Jtakam, from neut. of jtaka-, engendered (by), born (under), from jta-, past participle of janate, he is born; see gen- in Indo-European roots