Word history

Monier-Williams (1899) records purohita with the sense “appointed officiant”. Purohita first has the participial sense placed foremost or appointed. Monier-Williams separately records a household officiant as a specialized noun sense. पुरोहित preserves that word in the surname form. The explanation traces the vocabulary of appointment and service; it does not assign a ritual role or present-day occupation to an individual.

Sources: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899) · headword purohita, page 635, column 2, entry L126127 · Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899) · headword purohita, page 635, column 2, entry L126127.2

Literal dictionary sense

purohita: Appointed officiant.

Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899) · headword purohita, page 635, column 2, entry L126127

Native-script forms

पुरोहित · Devanagariપુરોહિત · Gujarati

Sources and attribution

Dictionary senses and word histories are selected and adapted. Adapted lexical text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Linked Wiktionary entries provide contributor histories. Source register.