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akkhitārakā

fem nom sg of akkhitārakā (noun); fem nom pl of akkhitārakā (noun); fem acc pl of akkhitārakā (noun); fem instr sg of akkhitārakā (noun); …

1. (of the eye) pupil; lit. sparkle in the eye

Built from

• akkhita — root · eye
  From Sanskrit akṣi, related to Greek opsis and Latin oculus. The pupil is metaphorically the guardian or bright spark within the eye.
• ārakā — stem · guard, protector (feminine)
  Agent noun formed with ā (toward) + √raka (to guard); the suffix -kā creates a feminine agent noun. The compound treats the pupil as the eye's guardian or the reflecting point that "guards" vision.

Analysis. akkhita (eye) + ārakā (guard, protector); literally "eye-guard", the small reflective spot in the pupil that appears to guard or shine forth from the eye.

Etymology. akkhita from Sanskrit akṣi, a neuter noun meaning "eye" (cognate with Greek ὄψ opsis "sight", Latin oculus "eye", English eye); ārakā is the feminine agent noun from ā + √raka, "to guard, protect". The word is a Pali compound creating the diminutive sense of "little guardian of the eye", referring to the pupil's reflective gleam.

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

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