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khomhi

sandhi contraction of kho + amhi

1. I am definitely; I am truly

Built from

• kho — prefix · indeed, surely
  An emphatic particle that strengthens assertion. It likely derives from a spatial sense of openness or clarity that shifted to epistemic force.
• amhi — root · I am
  Present tense of atthi (to be), from the Indo-European root √as, cognate with Sanskrit asti, Latin est, English is. First person singular form.

Analysis. kho (emphatic particle: 'indeed, surely') + amhi (1st person singular present of atthi, 'to be'). The contraction shows elision of the initial vowel of amhi after kho's final vowel.

Etymology. amhi from √as (Sanskrit asti, Latin est, English is) — the Indo-European copula. kho is a particle of assertion and emphasis, probably cognate with Sanskrit kha ('space, ether') in its sense of 'openly, clearly', reinforcing the truth-claim.

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

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