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Prakrit (n.)

collective name for the popular dialects of ancient northern and central India (distinguished from and succeeding Sanskrit), sometimes also applied to modern languages (Hindi, Bengali, etc.), 1766, from Sanskrit prakrta- "natural, original" (opposed to samskrta- "prepared, refined"), from pra- "before, forward, forth" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "before") + krta- "to make, do, perform," from PIE root *k(w)er- "to make, form" (related to karma). Related: Prakritic.

also from 1766
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Trends of Prakrit

updated on October 05, 2020

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