apajaya

 In Sanskrit, apajaya (अपजय) means defeat, overthrow, or discomfiture, derived from the root ji (“to conquer”) with the prefix apa- (“away, off”).

Core Sanskrit Meaning

• The Sanskrit dictionary definition gives “defeat, overthrow” as the meaning of apajaya

  1

  .
• It is a masculine noun (अपजयः) used to denote the state of being defeated

  1

  .
• 

  1 Source

Etymology

• Formed from apa- + ji, where:
  • apa- means “away, off, back,” often implying negation or reversal.
  • ji means “to conquer, to win.”
• Thus, apajaya literally conveys “non-victory” or “being overcome.”

  1
• 

  1 Source

Usage Across Indian Languages

The term appears in several Indo‑Aryan and Dravidian languages with the same meaning:

• Marathi: defeat, discomfiture, overthrow

  1
• Kannada: defeat

  1
• Pali: failure, defeat (မအောင်ခြင်း, ရှုံးခြင်း)

  1
• 

  1 Source

This confirms that the Sanskrit sense is the root meaning from which others derive.

Related Term: Apajayya

The results also include apajayya (अपजय्य), which is different:

• It means “possible to be defeated” or “conquerable,” a descriptive adjective used in Vedic/Sanskrit texts

  1

  .
• It is derived from the same root but with a different suffix (-yya).
• 

  1 Source

Script Variants

The word apajaya appears in multiple Indian scripts, such as Tamil, Malayalam, and Gurmukhi, reflecting its use across traditions

Yogawiki

.

Summary

• Apajaya (अपजय) = defeat, loss, overthrow (masculine noun).
• Rooted in apa- (“away”) + ji (“to conquer”).
• Widely attested in Sanskrit, Pali, Marathi, and Kannada with the same meaning.
• Not to be confused with apajayya, meaning “one who can be defeated.”