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gotamena

gotama

masc instr sg of gotama (noun)

1. family name of the Buddha; lit. of the Gotama clan
2. name of an arahant monk; lit. of the Gotama clan
3. name of an arahant monk; lit. of the Gotama clan
4. name of an arahant monk; lit. of the Gotama clan

Etymology. Gotama is the family name (gotra) of Siddhattha, the Buddha. The word likely derives from go- (cow) + tama (superlative suffix, "most"), hence "most cow-like" or "best with cattle," referring to a clan's pastoral wealth and status. The name appears in Sanskrit as Gautama. No certain Indo-European cognates, though the root go- (cattle) is ancient: English "cow," Latin "bōs," Greek "bous."

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

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