The meaning of Muay Thai

[Madahab]

I found this very interesting article describing the meaning of Muay Thai, as 'free knot', or 'free boxing'.
I guess it deals mostly with the history of the art, and its reciprocal influence with Thai culture, but it's stuff I hadn't seen anywhere else before..
here's the link:
Knotty Muay Thai

[Ghost]

Thai in muay thai is referring to it being of thai origin and muay means boxing. so its boxing thai style.

We have to stop looking for meaning where there is none, most things are simple and eastern things arent mystical. Thai boxing is designed to knock the other guy the **** out, end of. there is nothing much beyond that other than what we make up.

[Khun Kao]

"Muay" has multiple meanings.... Boxing, Knot of Hair, Oneness.....

[Ghost]

Thats the same as how train can mean to exercise or it can be a train that is used for transport.
In its context its meaning is obvious. I will train today. I took a train today.
Same word, different meanings.
Muay Thai means Thai boxing, it means nothing else.

[Khun Kao]

I think the whole conversation about the meaning of "Muay" (its popped up from time to time on varying forums) is an interesting discussion about how the meaning of the word evolved.

The way I understand, it originally referred to the way the Thai's used to make a kind of topknot out of their long hair. Because they would have to gather their hair up neatly so it wouldn't become a tangled mess, it morphed into a word referring to unity or oneness. They began using Muay to refer to the varying combat styles as a means of attaching a national identity to them.... if that makes sense.

Take that explanation with a grain of salt, though. It's not like I've actually researched this and I'm just going off of a couple of conversations I listened in on from a few years back....

[Ghost]

ok, that may be the origin of the phrase, which is interesting if its correct.

but over time language changes and meanings become more defined.