young (unmarried) woman, maiden, girl Pv.i.11#1
■ As emblem of beauty in simile khattiya-kaññā vā… pannarasa-vassuddesikā vā solasa-vassuddesikā vā… MN.i.88; in combination khattiya-kaññā, brāhmaṇa-k˚, etc. AN.ii.205 AN.iv.128; Kisāgotamī nāma khattiya-k˚ Ja.i.60; deva˚ a celestial nymph Ja.i.61.

• -dāna giving away of a girl in marriage Pgdp.85

from kanīna young, compar. kanīyah, superl. kaniṣṭha; orig. “newly sprung” from *qen, cp. Gr. καινός, Vedic kanyā, Lat. re-cen(t)s, Ags. hindema “novissimus.” See also kaniṭṭha