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वृथा

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Sanskrit

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Alternative scripts

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Etymology

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Probably from the instrumental case of an unattested *वृथ (vṛtha, wish), a derivative of the root वृ (vṛ, to choose, select).[1][2]

The "in vain" meaning is a semantic extension of the original "at will" meaning, via "at will" > "wantonly" > "aimless, without a plan" > "in vain".[2]

Pronunciation

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Adverb

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वृथा (vṛthā)

  1. at will, at pleasure, at random, easily, lightly, wantonly, frivolously
  2. in vain, vainly, uselessly, fruitlessly, idly
  3. wrongly, falsely, incorrectly, unduly

Descendants

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  • Telugu: వృథా (vr̥thā)

References

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  1. ^ Mayrhofer, Manfred (1996) Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎[1] (in German), volume 2, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 574
  2. 2.0 2.1 Mayrhofer, Manfred (1976) Kurzgefasstes Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen [A Concise Etymological Sanskrit Dictionary]‎[2] (in German), volume 3, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, pages 248-9