‹ Back to the text

vigayha

gerund (ger)

1. plunging; diving (into); (comm) entering; lit. diving deeply
2. arguing; quarrelling; disputing; lit. grasping differently

Built from

• vi — prefix · apart, asunder
  Intensifying prefix marking separation and clarity; related to dvi 'two', functioning like Latin dis-.
• gayha — stem · grasping, seizing
  From √grah 'to grasp or seize'; the gerund form presents the action nominally. Cognate with Sanskrit gṛhṇāti and Latin prehendō (seize).

Analysis. vi + gayha: 'grasping (√grah) in different directions', hence diving apart into water or diving into dispute; the prefix vi- carries the sense of separation and intensity.

Etymology. vi- (apart, in different directions) + √grah (grasp, seize). The concrete image is grasping or reaching in multiple directions—literally plunging limbs into water, figuratively grasping at opposed positions in argument. Related to Sanskrit gṛhṇāti 'grasps' and Latin prehendō.

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

Lite mode — plain HTML for e-readers and old browsers. Full version