Abhi
Abhi (Devanagari अभि) is a preposition in Sanskrit, also found in Pali, Bengali, Assamese and Hindi. Today, it remains a productive element in forming names.
Origin
The first reference to the word "Abhi" is found in the ancient Hindu sacred text Rigveda book 1, hymn 164.[1] The word frequently appears in the Vedas, Upnishad and Bhagavad Gita.
Meaning
"Abhi" is an adverb or preposition (see Upasarga) with various meanings depending on its context. According to Macdonnell's Sanskrit dictionary:[2]
- As an adverb, it means "unto, near"
- As a preposition plus accusative, it means "towards; to, against; over; for, for the sake of; with regard to"
- As a preposition plus ablative, it means "without"
It is believed that the word "Abhi" on its own in Sanskrit (for example, in ancient poetry) means the first ray of sunlight.
Usage
"Abhi" is also a common Indian name for boys and men. Although a name less common in girls, it is often used as a nickname, short for "Abhilasha." Confusion results from the fact that the name also has a current meaning in Hindi ("now").
The word 'Abhi' is used as a prefix in many Indian male and female names and words. Example of names: Abhinay, Abhigyan, Abhiram, Abhirami, Abhiras, Abhinesh, Abhijith, Abhilash, Abhimanyu, Abhishek, Abhinav, Abhichandra, Abhinehsan
Example of words: Abhidhamma, Abhikarta, Abhimana, Abhineta, Abhisheka, Abhivandana, Abhiyan, Abhiyanta, Abhinash