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assāso
assāsa
masc nom sg of assāsa (noun)
- inhalation; in breath; (comm) exhalation
- relief; comfort; solace; consolation; lit. inhalation
- support; foundation; lit. inhalation
Built from
- ā — prefix · toward, up to
The prefix ā- reverses or reorients motion verbs; here it marks breath drawn inward or toward the speaker, creating the sense of inhalation or drawing in.
- sas — root · breathe
The root √sas means to breathe or blow. It appears in Sanskrit svasiti 'breathes', and is related to English susurration (a whispering sound) through the same Indo-European base expressing soft respiratory sounds.
- a — ending · nominative singular
The -a ending marks masculine nominative singular in Pali, identifying the noun's form in this context.
Etymology. From ā + √sas (breathe). The prefix ā- (toward the speaker, up to and until) combines with the root meaning to breathe, creating the sense of breathing in or drawing breath toward oneself. The concrete image of breath drawn in or drawn up underlies the extended sense of relief or support as something that sustains one.