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cepi

ca

conditional conjunction (sandhi form: ce + api)

1. ca (letter): (gram) letter c; 14th letter of the alphabet; palatal consonant
2. ce (ind): if
3. ce (ind): but; than
4. cepi (sandhi): even if

Built from

• ce — root · if
  Conditional particle from *kwe-, the interrogative root that appears in Latin quod, quis and English what. The conditional sense arises from the questioning tone of the interrogative.
• api — root · even, at all
  Emphatic/concessive particle meaning 'even' or 'at all', from PIE *h₂ep- (to seize, reach); used postpositively to intensify and broaden the conditional sense.

Analysis. ce (if) + api (even, at all), contracted in sandhi: emphatic or concessive conditional.

Etymology. ce from PIE *kwe- (interrogative/conditional, as in Latin quod, English what); api from PIE *h₂ep- (to seize, reach), used adverbially in the sense of 'even' or 'at all' — paralleling English 'at all' and Latin -que enclitic.

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

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