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cīvarena

cīvara

nt instr sg of cīvara (noun); masc instr sg of cīvara (adj); nt instr sg of cīvara (adj)

1. robe; cloth; robe-cloth; lit. rags
2. with a robe; having a robe; lit. rags

Built from

• cī — root · pile, layer
  From √cay (to arrange, pile up). Refers to woven cloth as layers of thread.
• vara — root · covering, garment
  From √vṛ (to cover, envelop). Cognate with Sanskrit varaṇa and Latin vestis (garment), English "wear". The concrete sense of wrapping or covering gave rise to the abstract sense of protection.
• ena — ending · instrumental singular
  Marks the instrumental case (by means of, with), indicating the robe as the means or instrument in this sentence.

Etymology. The word appears to be a nominal compound: cī- (root cay, to pile/heap, hence cloth layered or folded) + -vara (covering, from √vṛ to cover, cognate with English "wear" and Latin "vestis" cloth). The sense evolved from layered material to a garment of wrapping cloth, particularly the saffron robe of Buddhist monks.

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

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