ਕਾਇਰੁ

See also: ਕਾਇਰ

Old Punjabi

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *kʷ-

Proto-Indo-European *kʷos

Proto-Indo-European *-teros

Proto-Indo-European *kʷóteros

Sanskrit क॒त॒र (katará)vṛd.?

Sanskrit कातर (kātara)

Prakrit 𑀓𑀸𑀅𑀭 (kāara)

Old Punjabi ਕਾਇਰੁ

Inherited from Prakrit 𑀓𑀸𑀅𑀭 (kāara), from Sanskrit कातर (kātara), possibly a vṛddhi derivative of क॒त॒र (katará), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷóteros, from *kʷos + *-teros. Compare Old Marathi 𑘎𑘰𑘪𑘨 (kāvara).

Noun

ਕਾਇਰੁ (kāiru) m

coward
- 1604, Guru Amar Das, Ādi Granth ang 591:
  ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਕਾਇਰੁ ਕਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਨਕੁ ਨਾਹਿ॥
  manamukhu kāiru karūpu hai binu nāvai naku nāhi.
  1972 translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
  The self-willed manmukh is cowardly and ugly; lacking the Name of the Lord, his nose is cut off in disgrace.

Descendants

Punjabi: ਕਾਇਰ / کائر (kāira)

References

Christopher Shackle (2011), “ਕਾਇਰੁ”, in A Gurū Nānak Glossary, 2^nd edition, New Delhi: Heritage Publishers, →ISBN, page 288
“ਕਾਇਰੁ”, in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Dictionary, SriGranth.org, 2026
Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985), “kātara”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 154