veramaṇī

fem nom sg of veramaṇī (noun); fem nom pl of veramaṇī (noun); fem acc pl of veramaṇī (noun); fem voc sg of veramaṇī (noun); …

abstinence; abstention (from)

Built from

vē — prefix · not, do not
Prohibitive/negative prefix marking the absence of the action that follows. Creates the sense of intentional refraining.
ram — root · delight, enjoy, rest
Sanskrit ramati "delights, takes pleasure"; the root expresses the sensory gratification from which one holds back. Cognate with English "roam" (moving for pleasure).
aṇī — ending · feminine abstract noun
Feminine nominalization suffix forming an abstract quality or state; marks this as the refraining itself, a practice or virtue, rather than the act of refraining.

Analysis. ve-ramaṇī: from vē (imperative negation, "do not") + ramaṇī (root √ram "to delight, enjoy"), literally "not delighting (in)", hence restraint from indulgence. In the Five Precepts (pañcasīla), the five veramaṇīs are abstentions from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, and intoxication—the cardinal refrainings that constitute lay morality.

Etymology. Root √ram (Sanskrit ramati "to rest, delight") has cognates in English "roam" (wandering for pleasure) and German "raum" (room, space to move freely); the prefix vē (from vā, negation/prohibition akin to the imperative "do not") frames the noun as a positive practice of restraint. The form is nominalised as an abstract quality of abstaining.

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

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