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suvaṇṇe

suvaṇṇa

masc acc pl of suvaṇṇa (adj); nt acc pl of suvaṇṇa (adj); masc loc sg of suvaṇṇa (adj); nt loc sg of suvaṇṇa (adj); …

1. beautiful; handsome; of good appearance; lit. good colour
2. golden; golden-coloured
3. gold
4. gold coin

Built from

• su — prefix · well, good
  The same Indo-European root as Greek eu- (in eulogy, euphoria). In compounds, it strengthens the notion of excellence and ease.
• vaṇṇa — root · colour, appearance
  From Sanskrit varṇa, cognate with the root underlying English 'warn' in its original sense of making something visible or manifest. The word shifted from appearance to the precious metal golden in colour.

Etymology. su- 'well, good' (from Proto-Indo-European *su-, cognate with Greek eu- as in eulogy, Latin suāvis 'sweet') + vaṇṇa 'colour, appearance' (from Sanskrit varṇa, related to English 'warn' in the sense of 'show, make visible'). The compound means literally 'good colour' or 'good appearance', whence beauty and by extension gold as the precious substance of finest appearance.

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

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