bahuvrihi
|ba-hu-vri-hi|
/ˌbɑːhuːˈriːhi/
possessing X / exocentric compound
Etymology
'bahuvrihi' originates from Sanskrit, specifically the word 'bahuvrīhi', where 'bahu-' meant 'much' and 'vrīhi' meant 'rice'.
'bahuvrīhi' entered European linguistic literature through Sanskrit scholarship in the 19th century and was adopted into English technical usage to name the class of exocentric compounds.
Initially it meant 'much rice', but over time it evolved into a technical term for compounds that denote 'possessing X' (exocentric compounds) rather than the literal original meaning.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a type of compound (especially in Sanskrit and related languages) in which the compound as a whole denotes something characterized by its parts rather than denoting one of them — an exocentric compound (e.g., literally 'much rice' referring to someone possessing much rice).
In Sanskrit grammar, bahuvrihi denotes an exocentric compound whose meaning refers to someone or something possessing the quality named by the elements.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
originally (in Sanskrit) a literal phrase meaning 'much rice' ('bahu' = much, 'vrihi' = rice); used historically as an example and eponym for this class of compounds.
The term bahuvrihi originally meant 'much rice' in Sanskrit.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/01 04:21