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visākha

masc voc sg of visākha (adj); nt voc sg of visākha (adj); masc voc sg of visākha (noun); fem voc sg of visākhā (noun)

1. visākha (adj): forked; branched
2. visākha (masc): name of a lay disciple; lit. Libra
3. visākhā (fem): name of the Buddha's chief female disciple; great disciple of the Buddha; foremost laywomen in offering; lit. Libra
4. visākhā (fem): name of a lunar mansion corresponding to α, β, γ, and ι Librae in the Libra constellation
5. visākhā (fem): name of Kakusandha Buddha's mother; lit. Libra
6. visākhā (fem): name of an arahant nun; lit. Libra

Built from

• vi- — prefix · apart, asunder
  Related to 'two' (PIE *dui-). Marks things spreading in different directions or branching apart.
• ākha — root · branch, limb
  The spreading member of a tree or forked implement. Sanskrit vi-śākhā shares the root.

Analysis. vi- (apart, asunder) + -ākha (branch). The word applies concretely to things with two or more prongs or limbs spreading apart; used as a proper noun for figures and celestial divisions marked by the spreading branches of the Libra asterism.

Etymology. From vi- (apart, asunder; from PIE *dui- 'two', related to Sanskrit dvi, Greek dis-, English two) + √ākha (branch). The Sanskrit cognate is vi-śākhā; Greek skiadion 'parasol' and related words share the Indo-European sense of 'branch' or 'spreading limb'. The prefix vi- shows its concrete force: things spreading apart in different directions.

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

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