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janatā

fem nom sg of janatā (noun); fem nom pl of janatā (noun); fem acc pl of janatā (noun); fem instr sg of janatā (noun); …

1. people; populace; population; lit. people state

Built from

• jan — root · be born, beget
  The root √jan appears in Latin gignō, English kin, and Sanskrit janati. It expresses generation and birth, fundamental to denoting a people as those brought forth.
• atā — ending · abstract noun suffix
  The suffix -atā derives feminine abstract nouns from verb roots, here turning the concept of being born into a collective noun for populace or people-ness.

Analysis. jan- (root 'to be born') + -atā (abstract noun suffix); literally 'the state of being born' or 'those who are born', hence people collectively.

Etymology. From √jan 'to be born, beget' (Sanskrit janati, Latin gignō 'beget', English kin). The suffix -atā forms abstract nouns from roots, giving janatā the sense 'multitude of the born', people as a collective. Cognate with Sanskrit janatā.

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

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