dvandva

noun

dvan·​dva

ˈdvän(ˌ)dvä,

dəˈv-,

-vəndvə

plural dvandvas or dvandva

: a class of compound words having two immediate constituents that are equal in rank and related to each other as if joined by and : a compound word belonging to this class (as bittersweet, secretary-treasurer, sociopolitical) see copulative entry 2 sense 2

Word History

Etymology

Sanskrit dvaṁdva, literally, a pair, couple, reduplication of dva two

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