sunakkhatto

sunakkhatta

masc nom sg of sunakkhatta (noun)

name of a former monk; lit. good star sign

Built from

su- — prefix · well, good
The Indo-European root for "well" appears in Greek eu- (eulogy). Here it marks favorable quality or auspiciousness.
nakkhatta — root · star, constellation
From Sanskrit nakṣatra, the twenty-eight lunar mansions of Vedic astrology. The word entered Pali through the Brahmanical astronomical tradition.

Analysis. su- (well, good) + nakkhatta (star, constellation); literally "good star", a name or designation based on auspicious astral association.

Etymology. su- is the Indo-European word meaning "well, good" (cognate with Greek eu- as in eulogy, eugenics); nakkhatta is from Sanskrit nakṣatra, the lunar mansions or constellations used in Vedic astrology. The compound reflects ancient Indian practice of naming individuals after auspicious celestial signs.

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

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