noun
- (in Hawaii) a steep slope or cliff.
noun
- the Prakrit language of the Buddhist scriptures.
noun
- an ancient language of India derived from Sanskrit; the language of the Buddhist scriptures
1690s, Middle High Indian dialect used in sacred Buddhist writings (the lingua franca of northern India from c. 6c. B.C.E.-2c. B.C.E.), from Sanskrit Pali, from pali bhasa “language of the canonical books,” from pali “line, role, canon” + bhasa “language.”