mā
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-)).[1]
- don't (prohibitive particle) [ quotations ▼]
[ show ▼]Terms inherited from मा (mā́)
Shortened from माम् (mā́m).
मा • (mā)
- (enclitic) accusative singular of अहम् (ahám)
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”).[2]
मा • (mā)
Primary Verbal Forms
Non-Finite Forms
- मातवै (mātavai, Infinitive)
Derived Nominal Forms
- मायु (māyú)
Inherited from Proto-Indo-Aryan *maH-, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *maH-, from Proto-Indo-European *meh₁- (“to measure”).[3]
मा • (mā)
- to measure