Bahuvrihi definition

bŭho͝o-vrēhē
bahuvrihis
See word origin
Frequency:
A compound word functioning as an adjective whose last element is in origin a noun. For example, in the phrase high-fiber diet , the compound high-fiber is a bahuvrihi modifying diet that ends in the noun fiber.
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(linguistics) A type of nominal compound in which the first part modifies the second and neither part alone conveys the intended meaning.
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Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
bahuvrihi
Plural:
bahuvrihis

Origin of bahuvrihi

  • Sanskrit bahuvrīhiḥ having much rice (an example of the type) bahu- much vrīhiḥ rice

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Sanskrit बहुव्रीहि (bahú-vrÄ«hi, “much rice"), itself a bahuvrihi from बहु (bahu, “much") and व्रीहि (vrÄ«hi, “rice"), referring neither to much nor to rice, but to a person who has much rice, i.e. a rich man, one who has "much rice".

    From Wiktionary