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kira

kirati

imp 2nd sg of kirati (verb); reflx aor 1st sg of kiri (verb)

1. kira (ind): really; truly; definitely
2. kira (ind): it is said; allegedly; apparently; one would think; I have heard; people say
3. kirati (pr): scatters; sprinkles
4. kiri (aor): scattered

Etymology. From √kir (kirati 'scatters, sprinkles'), a root expressing dispersal or distribution of particles. The particle kira arose from the verbal form and acquired an epistemic sense ('it is said') through semantic shift from concrete scattering to the dispersal of reports or hearsay. No certain Indo-European cognate; possibly related to Latin cernere 'to sift, distinguish' (same root sense of separating particles), but the connection is uncertain.

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

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