How Do You Spell BAHUVRIHI?

Pronunciation: [bˌahəvɹˈɪhɪ] (IPA)

The word "bahuvrihi" can be a tricky one to spell. It is a Sanskrit-origin noun used in linguistics to describe a compound word that denotes a person or object by describing one of its attributes. The phonetic transcription for this word is /bəˈhuːvrɪhi/ and it is composed of four syllables. The stress falls on the second syllable "hu". It is important to remember to include all the vowels as the spelling might otherwise appear as "bahvrhi" or "bahuvrih".

BAHUVRIHI Meaning and Definition

1. Bahuvrihi is a Sanskrit-derived compound word consisting of the roots "bahu" meaning 'many' or 'much' and "vrihi" meaning 'rice'. It is a term used in linguistics to describe a type of noun compound that is formed by combining two or more words, where the combined meaning is not dependent on the individual meanings of the constituent words.

   A bahuvrihi compound typically consists of a non-head noun, which functions as the modifier, and a head noun, which provides the main semantic content. The compound as a whole denotes a person, animal, or object that possesses the characteristic described by the modifier. The meaning of a bahuvrihi compound can be metaphorical or literal, and it is commonly used in various languages, including Sanskrit, Pali, and Dravidian languages.

   For example, in the compound "blackbird," "black" is the modifier and "bird" is the head noun. The compound refers to a bird that is black in color. Similarly, in the compound "brainchild," "brain" is the modifier and "child" is the head noun, indicating a creative idea that originates from someone's mind.

   Bahuvrihi compounds are particularly notable for their non-compositional meaning, where the overall meaning of the compound cannot be directly deduced from the meanings of the constituent words. The modifier in a bahuvrihi compound typically emphasizes a specific characteristic of the head noun, imparting a unique connotation to the compound altogether.

Common Misspellings for BAHUVRIHI

• vahuvrihi
• nahuvrihi
• hahuvrihi
• gahuvrihi
• bzhuvrihi
• bshuvrihi
• bwhuvrihi
• bqhuvrihi
• baguvrihi
• babuvrihi
• banuvrihi
• bajuvrihi
• bauuvrihi
• bayuvrihi
• bahyvrihi
• bahhvrihi
• bahjvrihi
• bahivrihi
• bah8vrihi
• bah7vrihi

Etymology of BAHUVRIHI

The word "bahuvrihi" has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language. The term is a compound of two Sanskrit words: "bahu", meaning "much" or "many", and "vrihi", meaning "rice" or "grain". In Sanskrit grammar, "bahuvrihi" refers to a type of compound noun where the first element of the compound describes the second element. The term has been adopted into English and is used to describe compounds where the first part consists of an adjective or a noun that describes the second part.

Plural form of BAHUVRIHI is BAHUVRIHIS