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sammā

samma

nt nom pl of samma (noun); nt instr sg of samma (noun); nt abl sg of samma (noun); nt voc sg of samma (noun); …

1. samma (nt): cymbal
2. sammanta (prp): living; residing (in); lit. being calmed
3. sammā (ind): completely; thoroughly; fully; totally
4. sammā (ind): perfectly; rightly; correctly; properly
5. sammā (ind): proper; right; correct; perfect

Built from

• sam — prefix · together, completely
  Things brought into one; concrete image of collecting and unifying. No independent cognate in English, but works like Latin con-.
• mā — ending · fit, measure (adverbial)
  Suffix forming adverbs from the sense of fitting or measuring out. Cognate with Sanskrit -mā and Greek -μα, all from IE √*meh₂-.

Etymology. sam- (together, with, completely) + -mā, an adverbial suffix from√mā (measure, fit). The prefix sam- brings things into one; sammā thus means 'brought together, unified, made fit'—hence 'complete' and 'right'. The suffix -mā is cognate with Sanskrit -mā and Greek -μα, all from IE √*meh₂- (measure, fit). The Pali adverb sammā is used in the canon as the standard rendering of 'Right' in the Noble Eightfold Path (Sammādiṭṭhi, Sammāsaṅkappa, etc.), emphasizing not mere correctness but unified, complete alignment with the Dhamma.

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

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