घूर्ण्

Sanskrit

Alternative scripts

Etymology

Of uncertain origin.

Perhaps from an adjective घूर्ण (ghūrṇa) reanalyzed as a root, with *घूर् (*ghūr) being the original form; via this derivation, forms a set of roots with घृ (ghṛ, to sprinkle, drizzle) and घ्रा (ghrā, to smell, perceive).

Older sources connected the root to Dravidian; compare Kannada ಕುಣಿ (kuṇi, to dance). However, this is now considered obsolete.

Pronunciation

Root

घूर्ण् • (ghūrṇ)

  1. to waver, move to and fro, shake, be agitated, roll about

Derived terms

References

  • Mayrhofer, Manfred (1992) Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎[1] (in German), volume 1, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 515
  • Mayrhofer, Manfred (1956) Kurzgefasstes Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen [A Concise Etymological Sanskrit Dictionary]‎[2] (in German), volume 1, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 360