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phoṭṭhabbaṁ

phoṭṭhabba

neuter nominative/accusative singular (or nominative plural); potential passive participle of phoṭṭhati 'is touched'

1. tangible
2. tactile
3. that which can be touched

Built from

• phoṭṭha — stem · touched
  Past participle of phoṭṭhati, deriving from Indo-European √spharj-.
• -bba — ending · capable of
  Potential suffix marking ability or capacity; here indicating the object capable of being touched.

Analysis. phoṭṭha (past participle of phoṭṭhati 'touch') + -bba (potential suffix) = 'capable of being touched'; one of the four ārammaṇa (objects of mind) in the canon, alongside rūpa, gandha, and rasa.

Etymology. From √spharj- (Sanskrit sparśati 'touches'), which has no close European cognates; the Pali phoṭṭh- shows the typical gemination and fortition of this root in the language.

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

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