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abhijjhālū

abhijjhālu

masc nom pl of abhijjhālu (adj); fem nom pl of abhijjhālu (adj); nt nom pl of abhijjhālu (adj); masc acc pl of abhijjhālu (adj); …

1. abhijjhālu (adj): covetous; avaricious; greedy; lit. over thinking
2. abhijjhālū (adj): covetous; avaricious; greedy; lit. over thinking

Built from

• abhi — prefix · toward, bearing down on
  Spatial sense of facing and pressing upon something; here applied to the mind's fixation on desire. Related to Latin ob- (observe, obtain).
• ijjhā — root · covetousness, desire
  An abstract noun from √jjhā, which reflects Sanskrit dhyai 'to think'; the root carries the sense of brooding or mental rumination fixed on an object.
• lu — ending · prone to, inclined to
  Suffix forming adjectives meaning 'habitually inclined to' or 'characterized by'; here marks the agent noun as a standing quality or disposition (nominative or accusative plural).

Analysis. abhi + ijjhā + lu: 'bearing down on' (prefix) + desire/covetousness + prone to; lit. 'inclined toward excessive desire'.

Etymology. abhi (toward, bearing down on) + ijjhā (desire, covetousness, from √jjhā cognate with Sanskrit dhyai 'to think'; the abstract noun ijjhā represents an older stratum meaning brooding or mental fixation). The prefix abhi- casts the sense of pressing forward into covetous thinking. Compare English 'obsess' (from Latin obsidere 'to besiege, press upon').

Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.

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