mā

skr.

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /mɑ́ː/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /mɑː/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Indo-Aryan *maH, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *maH, from Proto-Indo-European *meh₁ (prohibitive particle). Cognate with Albanian mo (“do not”), Ancient Greek μή (mḗ, “not, do not”), Old Armenian մի (mi, “no, not”), Avestan 𐬨𐬁 (mā), Old Persian 𐎶𐎠 (m-a /⁠mā⁠/) (whence Persian مـ (ma-)).

Particle

मा • (mā́)

1. don't (prohibitive particle) [ quotations ▼]

Derived terms

• माकिम् (mākim)
• माकिस् (mākis)

Descendants

[ show ▼]Terms inherited from मा (mā́)

Etymology 2

Shortened from माम् (mā́m).

Pronoun

मा • (mā)

1. (enclitic) accusative singular of अहम् (ahám)

Etymology 3

Onomatopoeic; compare मय (maya, “horse”) and मयु (mayu, “antelope, deer”), which are probably connected to the root, as well as similar formations throughout Indo-European such as Ancient Greek μῐνῠρῐ́ζω (minurízō, “to whimper, warble”).

Root

मा • (mā)

1. to sound, bellow, bleat

Derived terms

Primary Verbal Forms

• मिमाति (mímāti, Present)
• मिमाय (mimā́ya, Perfect)

Non-Finite Forms

• मातवै (mātavai, Infinitive)

Derived Nominal Forms

• मायु (māyú)

Etymology 4

Inherited from Proto-Indo-Aryan *maH-, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *maH-, from Proto-Indo-European *meh₁- (“to measure”).

Root

मा • (mā)

1. to measure

Derived terms

Sanskrit terms belonging to the root मा‎ (0 c, 6 e)

प्रतिमा

मा

मातृ

मापयति

मिमीते

मेय