-तर

Merging of Sanskrit -तर (-tara) and Classical Persian ـتر (-tar). In both cases, from Proto-Indo-European *-teros. Doublet of -एरा (-erā).

• (Delhi) IPA^(key): /t̪əɾ/, [t̪ɐɾ]

-तर • (-tar)

1. forms the comparative degree of some nouns of Sanskrit origin

Inherited from Proto-Indo-Aryan *-taras, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *-taras, from Proto-Indo-European *-teros. Cognate with Ancient Greek -τερος (-teros).

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /tɐ.ɾɐ/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /t̪ɐ.ɾɐ/

-तर • (-tara)

1. forms the comparative degree of adjectives

   Synonyms: -ईयस् (-īyas), -यस् (-yas)

   ‎पर (para, “far”) + ‎-तर (-tara) → ‎परतर (paratara, “further”)

2. contrastive or oppositional adjectival suffix

   ‎एक (eka, “one”) + ‎-तर (-tara) → ‎एकतर (ekatara, “one of two, other”)

3. substantive suffix creating related words

   ‎वत्स (vatsa, “calf”) + ‎-तर (-tara) → ‎वत्सतर (vatsatara, “more than a calf, a weaned calf”)

Adjectives with a comparative in -तर (-tara) typically have a superlative in -तम (-tama).

• Pali: -tara
• Prakrit: -𑀤𑀭 (-dara), -𑀬𑀭 (-yara)
  • Hindi: -एरा (-erā)
  • Gujarati: -એરું (-erũ)
• → Hindi: -तर (-tar)

• Monier Williams (1899) “-तर”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page {{{1}}}.
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “-tara”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press