pali Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an ancient Prakrit language (derived from Sanskrit) that is the scriptural and liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism

WordNet

Pa"li noun
Definitions
  1. pl. of Palus.
Pa"li noun
Etymology
Ceylonese, fr. Skr. pali row, line, series, applied to the series of Buddhist sacred texts.
Definitions
  1. A dialect descended from Sanskrit, and like that, a dead language, except when used as the sacred language of the Buddhist religion in Farther India, etc.

Webster 1913