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bhikkhuno

bhikkhu

masc dat sg of bhikkhu (noun); masc gen sg of bhikkhu (noun)

1. bhikkhu (masc): monk; monastic; mendicant; fully ordained monk; lit. beggar
2. bhikkhuno (masc): for a monk; to the monastic
3. bhikkhuno (masc): of a monk; monastic's
4. bhikkhuno (masc): when a monk

Etymology. From √bhikṣ (Sanskrit bhikṣati 'begs, asks for alms'). The Sanskrit root bhikṣ- is cognate with Greek psokhein 'to rub, scrape' and English beg (both implying humble petition). In the Buddhist context, bhikkhu denotes one who has renounced householder life and lives on alms; the term etymologically preserves the literal sense of beggar but elevated to a religious ideal of dependence on the community's support.

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

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