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phoṭṭhabbe
phoṭṭhabba
nt acc pl of phoṭṭhabba (noun); nt loc sg of phoṭṭhabba (noun); masc acc pl of phoṭṭhabba (ptp); nt acc pl of phoṭṭhabba (ptp); …
- touch; physical sensation; tactile sensation; lit. to be touched
- tangible
- touch; physical sensation; tactile sensation; lit. to be touched
Built from
- pho — root · touch, swell
From √phus- (Skt. sphus-), expressing the physical contact or pressure that causes sensation. The root-sense is of bursting forth or swelling into contact.
- ṭṭha — stem · affected, passive
A geminate cluster (pho + ṭṭha) marks the past participle stem; -ṭṭha is the passive participle suffix, expressing the state of being touched.
- bba — ending · future passive participle
The ending -bba (-ble/-able) forms the future passive participle, indicating 'able to be touched' or 'that which can be touched'. In this form, it functions nominally as a tangible object or sensation.
Etymology. Root √phus- (Skt. sphus-) meaning to swell, burst, or touch; related to English "sponge" (porous, swollen) and possibly Sanskrit sphut- (to burst forth). The sense evolved from the concrete image of swelling contact to abstract tactile sensation.