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sevanti

sevati

pr 3rd pl of sevati (verb)

1. associates; keeps company (with)
2. practices; pursues; engages (in); cultivates; lit. associates
3. serves; lit. associates
4. makes use (of); indulges (in); engages (with); lit. associates

Built from

• sev — root · bind together; join to
  PIE *sew-. The concrete image is stitching or binding, which becomes metaphorically attaching oneself to a person or practice. Cognate with Latin suō 'sew', Sanskrit sīvyati 'sews', English sew.
• a — ending · 3rd singular thematic
  The thematic vowel and present tense marker, coloured -anti in 3rd plural to show agreement with the plural subject.
• nti — ending · 3rd person plural
  Stacks on the thematic vowel to mark plural subject ('they').

Etymology. From PIE *sew- 'to sew, bind together': the root imagery is joining or binding oneself to (a person, practice, or path), hence 'associates with' and 'cultivates'. Related to Sanskrit sīvyati 'sews', Latin suō 'sew', English sew. In Buddhist usage, sevana 'service' and sevā 'attendance' preserve the sense of binding oneself to a teacher or practice.

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

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