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abhijjhāluṁ

abhijjhālu

adjective, accusative singular masculine (abhijjhāluṁ); one who covets, covetous

1. covetous
2. greedy
3. desirous (of what belongs to others)

Built from

• abhi — prefix · toward, over
  Intensifies the sense of bearing down on or grasping at what is desired.
• jjhā — root · covet, desire
  The root expresses intense or grasping desire, distinct from gentle liking.
• lu — ending · subject to, prone to
  The -u suffix (-lu in stem form) creates an adjective meaning 'one who is prone to' or 'characterized by' the action of the root.

Analysis. abhi- (toward, bearing down on) + √jjhā (to desire, covet): one who desires intensely or bears down on what is desired.

Etymology. The root √jjhā (covet, desire) is related to Sanskrit √hā (to abandon); the prefix abhi- (toward, over) intensifies the sense of grasping or bearing down on an object. The word denotes the mental state of coveting what belongs to others, a quality specifically condemned in the precepts and in the analysis of mental hindrances.

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

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