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mittā

mitta

masc nom pl of mitta (noun); masc instr sg of mitta (noun); masc abl sg of mitta (noun); masc voc sg of mitta (noun); …

1. mitta (masc): friend
2. mitta (nt): friend
3. mittā (fem): name of an arahant nun; lit. friend
4. mittā (fem): name of an arahant nun; lit. friend

Built from

• mit — root · meet, together
  The root expresses mutual presence and reciprocal relation. Cognates: English meet, Latin miseor (share feeling); Sanskrit mitra (friend, ally, sun god).
• ta — ending · agent noun
  The suffix -ta forms agent nouns from verbs, here 'one who meets' → 'friend, intimate companion'.

Etymology. From √mith (to meet, come together), a root expressing mutual presence and reciprocal relation. Sanskrit mitra (friend, ally, the sun god Mitra); ultimately from PIE *meit- (to meet, exchange), cognate with English meet and Latin miseor (I commiserate, share feeling). The concrete sense of 'meeting together' became the social sense of 'friend' — one with whom you meet and share.

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

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