nt nom pl of kaci (pron); nt acc pl of kaci (pron)
Analysis. kānici is the neuter plural nominative/accusative form of kaci, with the plural suffix -i and the definite/collective marker -nī- (from *nī, meaning 'group', 'collection', or emphasizing plurality). The form expresses 'whichever ones, all things' by combining indefiniteness with collective plurality.
Etymology. kaci is an old indefinite pronoun from Proto-Indo-European *kwoti-, the same root as Latin quis ('who'), English what, and German welch ('which'). The -nī- element in kānici derives from Proto-Indo-European *-nyo-, a formant for collective or distributive sense; compare Sanskrit -ni (neuter plural endings), and the sense-shift from singular indefinite 'something' to plural collective 'all things' mirrors the expansion of scope across the plural boundary.
Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.
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