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vettehipi

vetta

neuter noun, instrumental singular + enclitic api

1. cane; bamboo

Built from

• vett- — root · cane, woven plant
  The root sense is 'to weave' or 'woven', describing the fibrous, interlaced structure of cane and bamboo. Cognate with Sanskrit vetasa- and Latin vitis.
• -a — ending · neuter singular
  Neuter nominative/accusative singular ending; here the word is in instrumental form vettehi.
• vettehi — stem · by cane, with cane
  Instrumental singular of vetta, marking the means or instrument. The -hi ending replaces -a in instrumental use.
• api — prefix · even, also, too
  Enclitic particle adding emphasis or inclusivity; often translated 'even', 'also', or 'too'. No strong cognates, but comparable to Latin et.

Analysis. vettehi (instrumental singular of vetta) + api (enclitic 'even, also'); the instrumental marks the agent or means of action: 'by cane even', 'even with a cane'.

Etymology. vetta is cognate with Sanskrit vetasa- (cane, reed) and Latin vitis (vine, wicker), all from a root *wet- meaning 'to weave' or 'woven thing'; the flexible, woven-like structure of cane and bamboo is the image.

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

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