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accharāyo

accharā

fem nom pl of accharā (noun); fem acc pl of accharā (noun); fem voc pl of accharā (noun)

1. finger tips; finger snap
2. celestial nymph; female nature divinity
3. short moment; split second; tiny amount of time; lit. finger snap

Etymology. From Sanskrit apsarās, a Vedic word of uncertain origin, perhaps from apsas (water) + √sṛ (flow); the sense shifted from water-nymph to celestial being in both Sanskrit and Pali. The metaphorical extension to 'moment' arises from the finger-snap gesture (accharā as the snap of fingers) marking an instant.

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

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