𑀮𑀳𑀼

Prakrit

Alternative forms

• 𑀮𑀳𑀼𑀅 (lahua)

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₁lengʷʰ-

Proto-Indo-European *-us

Proto-Indo-European *h₁léngʰus

Proto-Indo-Iranian *Hlagʰúš

Sanskrit लघु (laghu)

Prakrit 𑀮𑀳𑀼 (lahu)

Inherited from Sanskrit 𑀮𑀖𑀼 (laghú) / Vedic 𑀭𑀖𑀼 (raghú), from Proto-Indo-Aryan *Hlagʰúṣ, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *Hlagʰúš. The debuccalization of -𑀖𑀼- (-ghu-) > -𑀳𑀼- (-hu-) occurred early, seen in Pali 𑀮𑀳𑀼 (lahu) and Ashokan Prakrit 𑀮𑀳𑀼 (lahu).

Adjective

𑀮𑀳𑀼 (lahu) (Devanagari लहु)

1. light, small

Derived terms

• *𑀮𑀳𑀼-𑀟- (*lahu-ḍa-), *𑀮𑀳𑀼-𑀟𑁆𑀟- (*lahu-ḍḍa-)
  • Awadhi: लहुरा (lahurā, “younger”)
  • Bihari: लहूरी (lahūrī, “younger wife”)
  • Hindi: लौहड़ा (lauhṛā), लौहरा (lauhrā)
  • Old Gujarati: लहुडउ (lahuḍaü, “small, young”)
  • Punjabi: ਲੌਹੜਾ (lauhṛā), ਲੌਹਡਾ (lauhḍā, “small, young”)
• *𑀮𑀳𑀼-𑀓𑁆𑀓- (*lahu-kka-)
  • Odia: ଲହକା (lahakā), ନହକା (nahakā)
  • Punjabi: ਲੌਹਕਾ (lauhkā)
  • Romani: loko (“light”)
• *𑀳𑀮𑀼- (*halu-) (with metathesis), 𑀳𑀮𑀼𑀅 (halua)
  • Hindi: हरू (harū), हरुआ (haruā)
  • Konkani: हळु (haḷu)
  • Nepali: हलौँ (hala͠u), हलुँ (halũ), हलुँगो (halũgo)
  • Old Awadhi: हरुआ (haruā)
  • Old Gujarati: हलूउ (halūu)
    • Gujarati: હળુ (haḷu, “softly”), હળવું (haḷvũ, “light, cushy”)
  • Old Marathi: 𑘮𑘯𑘳 (haḷu)
    • Marathi: हळू (haḷū), हळवा (haḷvā)
    • → Urdu: ہَلُّو (hallū)
  • Punjabi: ਹੌਲਾ (haulā)
  • Sindhi: [script needed] (hariṛo)
• *𑀳𑀮𑀼-𑀓𑁆𑀓- (*halu-kka-) (with metathesis and -kk- extension)
  • Bengali: হালকা (haloka)
  • Bhojpuri: हलुक (haluk)
  • Maithili: हलुक (haluk)
  • Nepali: हलुको (haluko)
  • Odia: ହାଳୁକା (hāḷukā)
  • Old Hindi: हलुका (halukā), हलका (halakā) — later
    • Hindi: हल्का (halkā)
    • Urdu: ہَلْکا (halkā)
    • → Gujarati: હલકું (halkũ)
    • → Marathi: हलके (halke)
  • Punjabi: ਹਲਕਾ (halkā)
  • Sindhi: هلکو

Descendants

• Old Gujarati: लहु (lahu)
• ⇒ Marathi: लहु-लहान (lahu-lahān, “small and gentle”)
• Sinhalese: ලුහු (luhu)
• Dhivehi: ލުއި (lui), ލޫ (lū)
• Old Hindi: लहु (lahu)

References

• Sheth, Hargovind Das T[rikamcand] (1923–1928) “लहु”, in पाइअ-सद्द-महण्णवो [pāia-sadda-mahaṇṇavo, Ocean of Prakrit words] (in Hindi), Calcutta: [Published by the Author].
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “laghú”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press