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kummoti

kumma

masculine nominative singular in -ti ending (sandhi form)

1. tortoise; turtle

Built from

• kumm- — root · tortoise
  An ancient term for the shelled reptile, shared with Sanskrit kūrma. The derivation is obscure, but may echo the slow, heavy movement or the sound of the shell.
• -a — ending · masculine singular stem-former
  Masculine -a ending that produces the nominative singular kumma.
• iti — ending · thus, so (emphatic or quoting particle)
  Postposed particle meaning 'thus' or 'in this way'; here used as an emphatic or appositional marker following the noun in sandhi form kummoti.

Analysis. kummo + iti: 'tortoise' + 'thus, so'; the -iti ending (meaning 'thus') marks emphasis or apposition, here 'a tortoise, indeed' or simply 'the tortoise'.

Etymology. kumma is of uncertain origin, possibly onomatopoetic from the animal's gait or shell-sound; Sanskrit kūrma, but no secure Indo-European cognates are attested.

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

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