Etymology
There are various opinions regarding the etymology of Iyengar.
- It is derived from Ayya, a Prakrit version of the Sanskrit word Arya, along with the Telugu honorific plural suffix garu.
- It means one who is characterised by five attributes (Aindu angangal).
Robert Lester says that the word “Ayyangaar”, an alternate transliteration, was first used by Kandhaadai Ramanuja Ayyangaar of Tirupathi around 1450 AD.
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