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heva

hi

ind. (sandhi form heva)

1. hi (ind): indeed; certainly; truly; definitely
2. hi (ind): because; for
3. hi (ve): (gram) hi; verbal ending of imperative 2nd person singular
4. heva (sandhi): most certainly; most definitely

Built from

• hi — root · indeed; because
  An emphatic or causal particle, marking affirmation or logical connection. Cognate with Latin -ve (disjunctive) and Greek ē.
• eva — root · only; precisely
  Particle of precision and intensity, derived from a root cognate with 'to go' or 'to proceed' (Latin ire, Greek eimi). In sandhi, eva follows hi to intensify: 'not merely true, but most certainly true'.

Analysis. heva is a sandhi contraction of hi + eva: the particle hi (emphatic affirmation or causal) followed by eva (only, just, precisely), intensifying the force to 'most certainly, most definitely'.

Etymology. hi is a particle of Indo-European origin, cognate with Latin -ve (or) and Greek ē (or); in Pali it functions as emphatic 'indeed' or causal 'because'. eva (only, precisely) derives from a root meaning 'to go', cognate with Latin ire; together they form an emphatic intensifier common in doctrinal contexts.

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

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