अ

A Prefix corresponding to Latin in, Eng. in or un, Gr. a or an, and joined to nouns, adjectives, indeclinables (or rarely even to verbs) as a substitute for the negative particle ऩञ्, and changed to अन् before vowels (except in the word अ-ऋणिन्). The senses of न usually enumerated are six(a) सादृश्य 'likeness' or 'resemblance', अब्राह्मणः one like a Brāhmaṇa (wearing the sacred thread &c.), but not a Brāhmaṇa; a Kṣatriya, or a Vaiśya; अनिक्षुः a reed appearing like इक्षु, but not a true इक्षु. (b) अभाव 'absence', 'negation', 'want', 'privation'; अज्ञानम् absence of knowledge, ignorance; अक्रोधः, अनङ्गः, अकण्टकः, अघटः &c. (c) अन्यत्व 'difference' or 'distinction'; अपटः not a cloth, something different from, or other than, a cloth. (d) अल्पता 'smallness', 'diminution', used as a diminutive particle; अनुदरा having a slender waist (कृशोदरी or तनुमध्यमा). (e) अप्राशस्त्य 'badness', 'unfitness', having a depreciative sense; अकालः wrong or improper time; अकार्यम् not fit to be done, improper, unworthy, bad act. (f) विरोध 'opposition', 'contrariety'; अनीतिः the opposite of morality; immorality; असित not white, black; असुर not a god, a demon &c. These senses are put together in the following verse: तत्सादृश्यमभावश्च तदन्यत्वं तदल्पता । अप्राशस्त्यं विरोधश्च ऩञर्थाः षट् प्रकीर्तिताः ॥ See न also. With verbal derivatives, such as gerunds, infinitives, participles, it has usually the sense of 'not'; अदग्ध्वा not having burnt; अपश्यन् not seeing; so असकृत् not once; अमृषा, अकस्मात् &c. Sometimes in बहुव्रीहि अ does not affect the sense of the second member: अ-पश्चिम that which has no last, i. e. best, topmost; e. g. विपश्चितामपश्चिमः cf. also R.19.1. अनुत्तम having no superior, unsurpassed, most excellent: (for examples see these words).

An interjection of (a) Pity (ah !) अ अवद्यं P.I.1.14 Sk. (b) Reproach, censure (fie, shame); अपचसि त्वं जाल्म P.VI.3.73 Vārt. See अकरणि, अजीवनि also. (c) Used in addressing; अ अनन्त. (d) It is also used as a particle of prohibition.

The augment prefixed to the root in the formation of the Imperfect, Aorist and Conditional Tenses. N. B. The application of this privative prefix is practically unlimited; to give every possible case would almost amount to a dictionary itself. No attempt will, therefore, be made to give every possible combination of this prefix with a following word; only such words as require a special explanation, or such as most frequently occur in literature and enter into compounds with other words, will be given; others will be found self-explaining when the English 'in', 'un', or 'not', is substituted for अ or अन् before the meaning of the second word, or the sense may be expressed by 'less', 'free from', 'devoid or destitute of' &c.; अकथ्य unspeakable; अदर्प without pride, or freedom from pride; अप्रगल्भ not bold; अभग unfortunate; अवित्त destitute of wealth &c. In many cases such compounds will be found explained under the second member. Most compounds beginning with अ or अन् are either Tatpuruṣa or Bahuvrīhi (to be determined by the sense) and should be so dissolved.