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vessakulā

vessakula

nt nom pl of vessakula (noun); nt instr sg of vessakula (noun); nt abl sg of vessakula (noun); nt voc sg of vessakula (noun); …

1. family of the merchant class

Built from

• vessa — root · merchant class
  From Sanskrit vaiśya, the Vedic merchant and farming class. Denotes a hereditary social status in the varṇa system adapted into Pali contexts.
• kula — stem · family, kinfolk
  Cognate with Latin colere 'to dwell, cultivate' and English 'colony'. Refers to a household or family group sharing status and occupation.

Analysis. vessa- (merchant class, Skt. vaiśya) + -kula (family, kinfolk); a compound denoting families of the merchant or trading caste in Indian social hierarchy.

Etymology. vessa from Sanskrit vaiśya, the third Vedic class of merchants and farmers, from a root meaning 'to settle' or 'dwell'; kula 'family, clan' is cognate with Latin colere 'to inhabit, cultivate' and English 'colony'. The compound reflects Pali's adoption of the Sanskrit caste terminology into its own social vocabulary.

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

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