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anunayo

anunaya

masc nom sg of anunaya (noun)

1. affection (for); inclination (towards); lit. leading along
2. approval

Built from

• anu — prefix · along after
  Following the track of, trailing behind. Implies movement in the wake of something, or conformity to a path already laid.
• naya — stem · leading, guidance
  From √nī (to lead, cognate with English 'near', Latin nectere 'to bind'). The act or manner of leading, and by extension a principle, system, or disposition.

Analysis. anu + naya: 'leading along' (anu 'following, after' + naya 'leading, guidance'), hence the sense of being drawn after, inclination toward, and by extension approval or favor.

Etymology. Formed from anu- (following along) + naya (leading, from √nī 'to lead'). The compound imagery is concrete: literally 'leading-along', one follows after guidance, hence an inclination or disposition formed by following. Related to Sanskrit anuneya 'to be led along'. The prefix anu- appears in Greek ana- (up through, along) and is cognate with English on, one.

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

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