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मेण्ढ

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Sanskrit

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Alternative forms

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Alternative scripts

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Etymology

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    Unknown.[1] Given the vast phonological variation and lack of usage in texts, probably borrowed from substrate. Related to भेड्र (bheḍra, ram), perhaps via the regular mh ~ bh alternation.[2]

    Perhaps derived from मे॒ष (meṣá, ram, sheep), which is of Indo-European origin. A form like meṣ-ṭra undergoing Prakritisation could explain this term, but the exact suffix here is unclear.

    Per Kuiper, borrowed from Munda.[3] Kuiper suggests a relationship to Pali meṇḍ (crookedness, root) and similar New Indo-Aryan terms referring to curved horns of animals.[4] These he traces to Munda terms including Mundari [script needed] (meṇḍā, curved and pointed to the head (horns)), Ho [script needed] (mendā), Santali [script needed] (meṛha, twisted backwards (horns of a buffalo)). The rest of Kuiper's discussion on the etymology of the term is too speculative to list here.

    The "penis" sense may come from a collision and conflation with the etymologically unrelated मेढ्र (meḍhra, penis (organ of urination)); see there for more.

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    मेण्ढ (meṇḍha) stemm

    1. ram
    2. penis

    Declension

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    Masculine a-stem declension of मेण्ढ
    singular dual plural
    nominative मेण्ढः (meṇḍhaḥ) मेण्ढौ (meṇḍhau)
    मेण्ढा¹ (meṇḍhā¹)
    मेण्ढाः (meṇḍhāḥ)
    मेण्ढासः¹ (meṇḍhāsaḥ¹)
    vocative मेण्ढ (meṇḍha) मेण्ढौ (meṇḍhau)
    मेण्ढा¹ (meṇḍhā¹)
    मेण्ढाः (meṇḍhāḥ)
    मेण्ढासः¹ (meṇḍhāsaḥ¹)
    accusative मेण्ढम् (meṇḍham) मेण्ढौ (meṇḍhau)
    मेण्ढा¹ (meṇḍhā¹)
    मेण्ढान् (meṇḍhān)
    instrumental मेण्ढेन (meṇḍhena) मेण्ढाभ्याम् (meṇḍhābhyām) मेण्ढैः (meṇḍhaiḥ)
    मेण्ढेभिः¹ (meṇḍhebhiḥ¹)
    dative मेण्ढाय (meṇḍhāya) मेण्ढाभ्याम् (meṇḍhābhyām) मेण्ढेभ्यः (meṇḍhebhyaḥ)
    ablative मेण्ढात् (meṇḍhāt) मेण्ढाभ्याम् (meṇḍhābhyām) मेण्ढेभ्यः (meṇḍhebhyaḥ)
    genitive मेण्ढस्य (meṇḍhasya) मेण्ढयोः (meṇḍhayoḥ) मेण्ढानाम् (meṇḍhānām)
    locative मेण्ढे (meṇḍhe) मेण्ढयोः (meṇḍhayoḥ) मेण्ढेषु (meṇḍheṣu)
    • ¹Vedic
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    Descendants

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    References

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    1. ^ Mayrhofer, Manfred (1963) “meṇḍhaḥ”, in Kurzgefasstes Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen [A Concise Etymological Sanskrit Dictionary]‎[1] (in German), volume II, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 682
    2. ^ Tedesco, P[aul Maximilian] (1943) “Sanskrit milati 'to unite'”, in Language[2], volume 19, number 1, Linguistic Society of America, page 15 of 1–18
    3. ^ Kuiper, F. B. J. (1948) Proto-Munda Words In Sanskrit[3], Amsterdam: N.V. Noord-Hollandsche Uitgevers Maatschappij, page 109
    4. ^ Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “*miḍḍa”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 582

    Further reading

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