indeclinable (adverbial phrase); surface form of evaṁ + ceta (contraction in Pali verse and prose)
Analysis. evaṁ (thus, in this manner) + ceta (it is, from √as), contracted phonetically to evañcetaṁ in flowing speech. The phrase functions as a quasi-neuter nominative assertion: 'this being the case, thus it is.'
Etymology. evaṁ is an old demonstrative adverb (akin to Sanskrit evam, from *e-va-m, related to the demonstrative stem e-); ceta is the third-person singular of atthi (to be), which descends from Indo-European √es- (English is, Greek esti, Latin est).
Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.
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