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paṇītatarā

paṇītatara

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

1. more sublime; more refined; more delicious (than); lit. more led forward

Built from

• pa — prefix · forward, forth
  Intensifying prefix suggesting motion forward and out. The image of something brought forward, made prominent, underlies the refined sense.
• nī — root · lead, guide, conduct
  √nī denotes guiding or leading. Cognate with English 'nigh' (approach) and Latin gnōscō (know), both rooted in the sense of guiding toward or making known.
• ta — ending · past participle
  Forms the past participle stem paṇīta, 'led forward', which becomes the adjective 'refined, elevated'.
• tara — ending · comparative
  The comparative suffix -tara marks the comparative degree: 'more refined' than the positive paṇīta.

Analysis. paṇīta (past participle of √nī 'to lead, guide') + tara (comparative suffix). Literally 'more led forward', hence 'more refined, elevated'.

Etymology. From pa + √nī 'to lead forward', with the comparative -tara. √nī is cognate with English 'nigh', 'near' (originally 'to lead toward'), and Latin gnōscō 'to know' (via 'leading to knowledge'). The prefix pa- intensifies the sense of forward motion: 'led forth, brought forward' > 'refined, cultivated'.

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

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