जातु

The other meanings come from the original sense of "by birth", which is from a neuter adverbial accusative of Proto-Indo-Iranian *ȷ́aHtúš, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵn̥h₁-tu-, from *ǵenh₁- (“to be born”). Equivalent to जन् (jan, root) +‎ -तु (-tu). Compare a parallel formation in Latin nātū, and English nature.^[1]

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /d͡ʑɑ́ː.tu/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /d͡ʑɑː.t̪u/

जातु • (jātu)^[2]

1. (Vedic) from birth, innately
   • c. 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE, Ṛgveda 10.27.11:

     यस्यानक्षा दुहिता जात्व् आस

     yásyānakṣā́ duhitā́ jā́tv ā́sa

     If one's daughter is blind by nature

2. (Vedic, Classical Sanskrit) at all, ever
3. possibly, perhaps (typically preceded by अपि (api) or followed by चिद् (cid))
4. some day, once upon a time

When preceded by न (na) in न जातु (na jātu), the meaning is "not at all" or "never".