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nidassito

nidassita

masc nom sg of nidassita (pp)

1. pointed out; explained; defined; taught; lit. caused to see
2. defined as; termed; shown; lit. caused to see

Built from

• ni — prefix · down, into
  Marks downward direction and internalization. Cognates: English nether, German nieder.
• dasseti — stem · causes to see
  Causative of dassati (sees). Related to Sanskrit dṛś- and the Indo-European *deik- (point, show).
• -ta — ending · past participle
  Marks a completed action in passive voice; nidassita = "was caused to be seen", hence shown or explained.

Analysis. ni- (down, into) + dasseti (causes to see), forming nidasseti "shows, points out"; nidassita is its past participle, literally "caused to be seen", hence "shown, explained".

Etymology. From ni- (down, into, cognate with English nether) + √dasseti (causative of √dassati "sees"). The prefix ni- gives the sense of bringing something into view or focus by directing attention downward and inward; dasseti is related to Sanskrit dṛśyate and Latin duco ("lead"), both from the Indo-European root *deik- ("point, show"). The concrete image is of pointing something out or revealing it by directing the eye.

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

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