Ma’anar ƙamus na “mahaifiyar aljana” dabi’a ce ta tatsuniya a cikin tatsuniyoyi masu bayyana a matsayin mai alheri, sihiri, sau da yawa ana wakilta a matsayin mace, mai ba da kyauta ko albarka ga wani mabukata. Yawanci ana bayyana iyayen giji a matsayin masu ƙarfi, masu kirki, masu taimako waɗanda ke amfani da ikon sihirinsu don taimakawa da kare jarumar labarin. A cikin al'adun gargajiya, ana amfani da kalmar "mahaifiyar aljani" a wasu lokuta da yawa don nuni ga wanda ke ba da jagora, tallafi, ko taimako ga wani ta hanyar reno da uwa.