ariyasāvako

ariyasāvaka

masc nom sg of ariyasāvaka (noun)

disciple of the noble ones; a noble disciple

Built from

ariya — root · noble, worthy
Adjective denoting the spiritually advanced ones—the Buddha, arahants, and those on the path. The word does not decompose further; its ultimate origin remains obscure, though it is ancient across Indo-European languages.
sāvaka — stem · disciple, listener
Derived from √śru 'hears' (cognate with English 'shear', German 'hören', Latin 'serere'). The sāvaka is literally 'one who hears', the hearer of the Dhamma.

Analysis. Compound: ariya (noble, of ariyas) + sāvaka (disciple, listener). An ariyasāvaka is one who listens to and follows the teachings of the noble ones (the Buddha and the arahants), a central figure in the doctrinal classification of disciples in the canon.

Etymology. Ariya derives from Sanskrit arya (noble), of uncertain but ancient Indo-European origin. Sāvaka derives from √śru (Sanskrit śṛṇoti 'hears'), cognate with English 'shear' (the sound of cutting), German hören, Latin serere (to sow, heard as a scattering sound); the listener is one who hears the teaching. Together they form the canonical term for disciples on the path.

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

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