apacāy

 

apacāy is a Sanskrit verb meaning “to fear” and also “to respect, honour, 

or worship,” formed from the prefix apa- plus the root √cāy.

Core meanings (attested in the sources)

The dictionaries give two principal senses:

• “to fear”

  2
• “to respect, honour, worship”

  2
• 

  

  2 Sources

Both meanings appear in Vedic and Brāhmaṇa literature, including the

Taittirīya‑brāhmaṇa and Śatapatha‑brāhmaṇa

Wisdom Library

.

Grammatical information

• Verb class: 1st class (1A) verb

  1

  .
• Transitivity: generally intransitive, but can take an object when
• meaning “to honour.”
• Forms: derived from apa‑√cāy, where √cāy carries the sense of “to
• accumulate, appear, or incline,” and the prefix apa- modifies the 
• meaning toward distancing or reverence.
• 

  1 Source

Etymology

The term is analysed as:

• apa — a prefix meaning “away, off, back”

  1
• √cāy (चाय्) — a verbal root associated with “appearance, inclination”

  1
• 

  1 Source
• 
  

Together, the compound yields senses of shrinking back (fear) or bending

toward (respect)—a semantic pair common in Sanskrit where reverence 

and awe overlap.

Usage in Sanskrit literature

The verb appears in early ritual texts:

• In the Taittirīya‑brāhmaṇa, it is used in the sense “to fear”

  1

  .
• In the Śatapatha‑brāhmaṇa, it appears with the meaning “to honour
• or revere”

  1

  .
• 

  1 Source
• 
  

This dual usage reflects the Vedic idea that fear and reverence toward

divine or authoritative forces are closely linked.

Distinguishing from similar terms

It is important not to confuse apacāy (verb) with:

• apacaya — a noun meaning “decline, decrease,” unrelated in meaning 
• though similar in form.
• apacāyin / apacayaka — derivative nouns meaning “one who honours” 
• or “one who causes decline,” depending on context

  1

  .
• 

  1 Source

Summary

apacāy (अपचाय्) is a Vedic and classical Sanskrit verb meaning both 

“to fear” and “to respect, honour, or worship.” It is formed from

apa + √cāy and appears in major Brāhmaṇa texts with both senses.