apati ghnī

 Apati‑ghnī means a woman who is “not killing her husband”—a Vedic epithet describing a bride as auspicious and protective toward her future husband.

Lexical meaning

• Monier–Williams defines अपतिघ्नी (apati‑ghnī) as “not killing a husband” and marks it as a feminine form occurring in the Rigveda and Atharvaveda

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• Wisdom Library confirms that apatighnī is a Sanskrit term used in Hinduism and Vedic literature

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Morphological breakdown

• a‑ = a privative prefix meaning “not, without”.
• pati = husband.
• ghnī = feminine form of a root meaning “killing, slaying” (from √han, “to kill”), also seen in other compounds like śata‑ghnī (“hundred‑slayer,” a weapon)

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Thus a‑pati‑ghnī literally means “she who does not slay her husband.”

Vedic context

The term appears in Rigveda 10.85.44, a famous wedding hymn. In this context, the bride is blessed with qualities that ensure harmony, prosperity, and the well‑being of her husband.
The expression apatighnī is therefore ritually auspicious, not literal: it means a woman who brings no harm to her husband, who is loyal, protective, and benevolent.

Distinguishing from similar words

The web results also list apati (अपति) meaning “without a husband, unmarried”

Wisdom Library

, but this is not the same as apati‑ghnī.
Likewise, ghnī alone can refer to a deadly weapon in other compounds

Sanskrit Dictionary

, but in apati‑ghnī it is purely grammatical and metaphorical.

Summary

• apati‑ghnī = “she who does not harm her husband.”
• A Vedic epithet for a bride, expressing auspiciousness and marital harmony.
• Formed from a (not) + pati (husband) + ghnī (slaying).