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paripucchati

pr 3rd sg of paripucchati (verb)

1. asks about; questions; enquires; interrogates (somebody about); lit. asks all around

Built from

• pari — prefix · around, completely
  Indicates motion or extension all the way round; here it gives the sense of asking thoroughly or on all sides. Cognate with Greek peri- (perimeter).
• pucch — root · ask, inquire
  Cognate with Sanskrit pṛcchati. The spatial sense of asking 'toward' or 'at' someone is extended by pari- to mean comprehensive questioning.
• a — ending · 3rd singular present
  The thematic vowel and present-tense marker; combined with the stem puccha-, it forms the 3rd person singular indicative paripucchati.

Analysis. pari + √pucch: 'asks all around', the prefix pari- carrying the sense of completeness and thoroughness — questioning on all sides, hence comprehensive interrogation.

Etymology. √pucch (to ask, inquire) is cognate with Sanskrit pṛcchati and ultimately with the Indo-European root *prek- (to ask, request); the prefix pari- (around, all the way round, completeness) transforms the simple act of asking into a thorough, all-encompassing inquiry.

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

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