‹ Back to the text

oḷārikā

oḷārika

masc nom pl of oḷārika (adj); fem nom sg of oḷārika (adj); fem nom pl of oḷārika (adj); nt nom pl of oḷārika (adj); …

1. coarse; gross; substantial; physical; material
2. (of food) solid; heavy; substantial

Built from

• oḷ — root · swell, bulge
  The root suggests outward expansion and physical substance; cognate with Sanskrit uḍḍīyate. The image of swelling underpins both the literal meaning (coarse, bulky matter) and the doctrinal contrast with sukhumā (subtle).
• ārika — ending · tending to, agent
  A suffix forming adjectives denoting tendency or character; here it converts the root into a descriptor of things that are expansive or substantial in nature.

Etymology. From the root √uḷ or √oḷ (to expand, swell, bulge outward), related to Sanskrit uḍḍīyate "swells". The -ārika suffix (comparative/qualitative agent) shapes it into "tending to bulge or swell", hence "bulky, coarse, substantial". The concrete imagery is of something expanded or blown up, applied to physical density or material grossness.

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

Lite mode — plain HTML for e-readers and old browsers. Full version