Kratom users frequently utilize the word Kratom, as well as Kratom’s scientific name which is Mitragyna Speciosa, and may not realize that both of these names have meanings in addition to origins which span back to the earliest days of Kratom history.
The Origin Of The Name Kratom
First off, the word Kratom originates from Thailand, and specifically the word Kratom originates from the Sanskrit word Kadam. Sanskrit is an ancient language that is used as the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, and it is found throughout Asia, although it is not commonly spoken in any country.
In Sanskrit the word Kadam refers to the Rubiaceae family of flowering plants, which is a biological family that contains Kratom, as well as many of Hinduism’s sacred plants.
Therefore, the word Kratom approximately means ‘sacred plant’.
This name is quit fitting, considering the multitudes of people that Kratom has benefited, if not saved, including people suffering from serious chronic pain conditions, drug addiction, and mental health issues. Logically, anything that benefits people and saves lives like Kratom does should be considered sacred.
The Origin Of The Name Mitragyna Speciosa
The name Mitragyna Speciosa is in Latin, which is the language that is used to give scientific names to all types of plants, despite the fact that Latin is a dead language.
Translating Mitragyna Speciosa from Latin into English gives some clues as to what the name means. First off, the word Speciosa directly translates to beautiful. Mitragyna on the other hand does not translate, but Mitragyna is actually based on the word Mitre, which is a sacred head dress that is worn by officials in many types of churches.
Therefore, Mitragyna Speciosa approximately means ‘beautiful headdress’ or ‘beautiful sacred headdress’.
This name was given by Pieter Willem Korthals, who was the first modern botanist to discover Kratom, and therefore had the privilege of choosing Kratom’s scientific name. Korthals thought that Kratom leaves and the stigmas of the Kratom flower looked just like a Mitre at church, and this led Korthals to name Kratom ‘beautiful mitre’.
Thus, people are constantly referring to Kratom as a sacred and beautiful plant without even realizing it, since the word Kratom means sacred plant, and Mitragyna Speciosa means ‘beautiful sacred headdress’!