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avaṇṇaṁ

avarṇa

accusative singular masculine of avarṇa (adjective)

1. disreputable, shameful
2. without colour or mark
3. inauspicious

Built from

• a- — prefix · not, without
  Plain negation. Cognates: English un-, Greek a(n)-.
• varṇa — root · colour, repute, form
  From √vṛ 'to cover, select'; in early texts, varṇa denotes both visual mark and social standing. Here negated to mean 'lacking repute'.
• -ṁ — ending · accusative singular
  Marks the direct object in the accusative case, masculine singular. Used when the adjective avarṇa modifies a masculine noun in the accusative.

Analysis. a- (not, without) + varṇa (colour, form, repute); 'lacking in repute or good character'

Etymology. a- (negation) + varṇa (colour, appearance, social standing, from √vṛ 'to cover, choose'; Sanskrit varṇa; cognate with English wear in the sense of outward bearing). The shift from literal 'unmarked, colourless' to moral 'disreputable, shameful' reflects how external appearance and conduct define social standing in brahminical thought.

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

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