ɪn lˈeɪɾɚ sˈænskɹɪt jˈuːsɪdʒ, ðə tˈɜːm mˈæhɐvˌækɪə kˈeɪm tə mˈiːn "dˈɪskoːɹs", ænd spəsˈɪfɪkli, dˈɪskoːɹs ˌɔn ɐ fˌɪləsˈɑːfɪkli lˈɔfti tˈɑːpɪk.
In later Sanskrit usage, the term mahāvākya came to mean "discourse", and specifically, discourse on a philosophically lofty topic.