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purakkhato
purakkhata
masc nom sg of purakkhata (pp)
- given importance; esteemed; honoured; lit. made in front
- preferred; chosen; lit. made in front
- attacked (by); assailed (by); afflicted (by); beset (by); (comm) wrapped with; lit. made in front
- showing off; on display; lit. made in front
- headed (by); preceded (by); at the forefront; with (somthing) in front; lit. made in front
- preceded (by); accompanied (by); (comm) surrounded (by); lit. made in front
- exposed (to); lit. made in front
Built from
- pu — prefix · forward, in front
From pura-, a locative adverb (Sanskrit puras) meaning 'in front' or 'before'. Keeps the spatial sense of being forward-positioned.
- ra — stem · (rest of pura)
Completing the prefix pura- 'in front, forward'.
- kk — root · strike, dig
From √khan (also written as ghan-). Cognate with Sanskrit √khan 'to dig' and possibly with English 'can' in 'can/canna' (to hew or carve), though the connection is speculative. The doubling of kk is a phonological feature.
- ha — root · (completion of √khan)
Completing the root √khan.
- ta — ending · past participle
The -ta suffix marks a past participle in Pali, turning the root into an adjective meaning 'struck' or 'dug'. In this compound, it is passive: 'having been struck in front'.
Analysis. pura- 'in front' (locative) + kkhata (past participle of √khan 'to dig, strike'). Literally 'struck in front', hence displayed, exposed, or attacked.
Etymology. From pura (Sanskrit puras, 'in front, forward') + √khan (to strike, dig; related to Sanskrit √khan, and to English 'can' in sense of 'to hew'). The root √khan in Pali typically forms past participles in -ata, as in khata 'dug'. The prefix pura preserves the original locative sense (in front, before) seen in Sanskrit pura and Greek πόρρω (porrō, 'forward'). The layering of 'striking' with 'in front' produces meanings of public display, assault, or precedence depending on context.