નેહ

Gujarati

Alternative forms

• નેહડો (nehḍo), નેડો (neḍo) — poetic

Etymology

Inherited from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀡𑁂𑀳 (ṇeha, “affection, love”), from Sanskrit स्नेह (sneha), from Proto-Indo-Aryan *snáyźʰas, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *snáyǰʰas, from Proto-Indo-European *snóygʷʰos (“snow”). Doublet of સ્નેહ (sneh). Cognate with Hindustani نیہ / नेह (neh), and Punjabi نِین٘ہہ / ਨੀਂਹ (nī̃h).

Etymological note

Perhaps, the semantic shift occurred as follows: "snow" > "wet, viscid snow" > "viscid substance" > "(physical) attachment" > "affection (emotional attachment)", or possibly there was a comparison of snow with semen, which is similarly whitish and viscid, and thus, by extension, with sexual attachment and love.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Gujarati) IPA^(key): /ˈneːʱ/

Noun

નેહ • (neh) m

1. affection, love

   Synonyms: સ્નેહ (sneh), પ્રેમ (prem), હેત (het), વહાલ (vahāl)

2. oil, grease, fat, any oleaginous substance, an unguent