अ-

See also: अं, अँ, अ, and अः

Hindi

Alternative forms

• अन- (an-) (before vowels)

Etymology

From Sanskrit अ- (a-).

Prefix

अ- • (a-)

1. A negating prefix. non-, un-, a-, an-, etc.

Usage notes

This form is used before words that begin with consonants.

• असुंदर (asundar, “ugly”)
• अकारण (akāraṇ, “needlessly”)

Derived terms

Hindi terms prefixed with अ-

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Marathi

Alternative forms

• अन- (an-) (before vowels)

Etymology

From Sanskrit अ- (a-).

Prefix

अ- • (a-)

1. A negating prefix. non-, un-, a-, an-, etc.

Usage notes

This form is used before words that begin with consonants.

Derived terms

Marathi terms prefixed with अ-

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Nepali

Alternative forms

• अन- (an-) (before vowels)

Etymology

From Sanskrit अ- (a-).

Prefix

अ- • (a-)

1. A negating prefix. non-, un-, a-, an-, etc.

Usage notes

This form is used before words that begin with consonants.

Derived terms

Category Nepali terms prefixed with अ- not found

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Sanskrit

Alternative forms

• अन- (ana-) — before vowels

Pronunciation

• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /ɐ/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Indo-Iranian *a-, from Proto-Indo-European *n̥-. Compare Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-).

Prefix

अ- • (a-)

1. un-. not

Derived terms

Sanskrit terms prefixed with अ-

Descendants

• Ashokan Prakrit:
  • • Old Marathi:
      • Marathi: अन- (an-)
  • • Sauraseni Apabhramsa:
      • Old Hindi:
        • Hindi: अन- (an-)
• → Hindi: अ- (a-)
• → Marathi: अ- (a-)
• → Nepali: अ- (a-), अन- (an-)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Indo-European *h₁é (“and then”). Cognate to Phrygian ε- (e-), Ancient Greek ἐ- (e-).

Prefix

अ- • (a-)

1. Used in the formation of imperfect, aorist and conditional tenses.

References

• Monier Williams (1899) “अ-”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 0001.