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gaṇācariyaṁ
gaṇācariya
masculine accusative singular
- teacher of a group
- leader of monastic community
- head of an order
Built from
- gaṇa — root · group, gathering
From √gaṇ- 'to count or gather together'. The concrete image is of things collected into one heap or assembly.
- ā — prefix · toward, to, up to
Reverses the sense of motion; ācariya 'one who conducts toward' or 'leads by practice', hence a teacher or exemplar.
- car — root · move, conduct, go
√car- means to move or travel; in ācāra (conduct, practice) and ācariya (teacher), it carries the sense of 'going the way' or 'setting an example'.
- iya — ending · agent noun
A nominal suffix forming agent nouns, especially occupational or role-based terms (one who does X); ācariya is literally 'one who conducts [by example]'.
- aṁ — ending · accusative singular
Marks the word as the direct object of a transitive verb, often following verbs of seeking, approaching, or going to (e.g. upasaṅkamati 'approaches').
Analysis. gaṇa (group, congregation) + ācariya (teacher, preceptor); the form shows sandhi contraction of final -a and initial ā- into -ā-, and the accusative ending -aṁ marks the object of a verb of motion or devotion.
Etymology. gaṇa from √gaṇ- (to count, gather; Sanskrit gaṇati), related to Greek root meaning assembly; ācariya from ācāra (conduct, practice) via √car- (to move, go, conduct oneself; Sanskrit car-, cognate with Latin cernere 'discern').