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mutasmiṁ

muti

locative singular of muti (f.), 'silence' — in the stock phrase muni mutasmiṁ, 'the sage [is] in silence'

1. silence
2. reticence
3. the state of being unspoken

Built from

• mut — root · be silent, close
  From Indo-European root meaning 'to close' or 'to murmur'; gives Pali muni 'sage' (one of silence) and English mute, mutter. The root imagery is of closure — the mouth shut, words held back.
• -i — ending · feminine
  Marks the word as feminine noun of the -i class (Pali stem muti-). The form serves as a feminine abstract noun: 'the state or condition of being silent'.
• -smiṁ — ending · locative singular
  The locative case ending -smiṁ (or -smim) places the action 'in' or 'within' silence. In the canonical phrase muni mutasmiṁ (SN 1.1), it constructs the image of the sage dwelling in, or established in, silence.

Etymology. From √mu (to close, be silent), cognate with English "mute" and Latin mutus (silent). The sense is literally 'closure of speech'.

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

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