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bilaso

indeclinable; adverb

1. into pieces; into portions

Built from

• bi- — prefix · two
  From the root dvi- (two), cognate with English 'two' and Latin 'bi-'. Here it carries the sense of dividing or splitting in two.
• las- — root · break, split, scatter
  The root underlying the noun lasa (part, portion); the concrete image is of something breaking apart or flying in different directions.
• -o — ending · adverbial formant
  An ancient adverbial suffix forming an indeclinable modifier from nominal or verbal roots.

Analysis. bi- (two) + -laso (from √las-, to break, split); literally 'in a two-way break or division', hence 'into pieces or portions'.

Etymology. bi- (from √dvi-, two; cognate with English 'two', Latin 'bi-' in 'bisect') combines with √las- (to break, split), which may relate to Sanskrit laṃs- (to leap, spring). The sense shifts from the physical division into two parts to the more general 'into pieces or parts'. The suffix -so is an old adverbial formant.

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

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