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saṅghāṭiṁ

saṅghāṭi

accusative singular feminine of saṅghāṭi (noun); surface form saṅghāṭiṁ

1. the outer robe (worn by Buddhist monks over the inner and middle garments)
2. a monk's double cloak

Built from

• saṁ — prefix · together, with
  The prefix sam- brings things into one unified whole. Here it marks the robe as a complete wrapping.
• ghāṭ — root · to wrap, bind, tie
  The root √ghāṭ belongs to a family of words meaning to bind or twist around. The concrete image is of cloth wrapped or knotted.
• ī — ending · feminine agent noun
  The feminine -ī suffix (with stem-formative -a- giving -ā-) nominates an object or instrument; the -ṁ is the accusative singular masculine/neuter ending applied to this feminine noun in the oblique case.

Analysis. saṅ (together) + ghāṭ (to wrap, bind) + ī (feminine agent noun); literally 'that which binds/wraps together'

Etymology. saṅghāṭi derives from the root √ghāṭ 'to tie, wrap, bind' (cognate with Sanskrit ghaṭ- 'pot, vessel', from the concrete image of wrapping around). The prefix sam- 'together' intensifies the sense. The word is specialized Buddhist monastic terminology for the upper robe folded and worn over the two lower robes (antara-vāsaka and uttara-saṅga). No direct European cognates; the Sanskrit parallel is saṅghāṭi.

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

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