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aññataraṁ

aññatara

accusative singular masculine of aññatara (indefinite pronoun/adjective)

1. a certain one
2. some (unspecified)
3. one or another

Built from

• a — prefix · not, without
  Plain negation. The prefix negates the following word.
• ññatara — root · the other; one of two
  From na + itara. Itara (other, different) relates to Sanskrit itara- and ultimately to Indo-European *i-tero- ("that one" vs. "this one"). Negating it yields indefinite selection: "not specifically the other one" = "a certain one".

Analysis. a-ññatara: negation prefix a- + ññatara (from na-itara, "not-the-other"), literally "not the other one", hence "one of two; one or another; some"

Etymology. Built from the negation a- (without) and ññatara, which derives from na (not) + itara (the other, different). The logic is: "not the other one" = "this one (as opposed to that)"; used to mark indefinite selection. The itara- root relates to Sanskrit itara- (other, different).

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

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