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seyyathāpi

sandhi contraction; indeclinable particle

1. just like; as if; imagine if

Built from

• se — root · that
  Demonstrative pronoun, nominative neuter singular of the ta-stem (tad, so, taṃ). Frames the following clause as an exemplar.
• yathā — root · in which way, as
  Relative/interrogative adverb from PIE *kwo-, the same root as 'who' and Sanskrit katham. Here relativizing the manner of the example.
• api — root · even, also, and
  Emphatic/connective particle from PIE *ap(i)-, cognate with English 'apo-' and Latin 'ab'. Used here to soften the hypothetical or add immediacy: 'just as if...'

Analysis. se (that) + yathā (in which way, as) + api (even, also); a colloquial fusion introducing a simile or hypothetical: 'in that manner even = just as if'. Common in narrative to frame examples: seyyathāpi nāma puriso 'just as if, say, a man...'

Etymology. No single etymon; a compound of pronouns and particles. Yathā descends from PIE *kwo- (interrogative/relative, English 'who'), prefixed in *yat-thā; api from PIE *ap(i)- 'off, away' (English 'apo-'), here used as an emphatic/inclusive particle ('even', 'also'). The fusion seyyathāpi is colloquial contraction reflecting spoken Pali.

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

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