friend. Usually m., although nt. occurs in meaning “friend,” in sg. (Ne.164) & pl. (Snp.185 Snp.187); in meaning “friendship” at Ja.vi.375 (= mittabhāva C.). The half-scientific, half-popular etym. of mitta, as given at Vb-a.108, is “mettāyantī ti mittā minantī ti vā m.; sabba-guyhesu anto pakkhipantī ti attho” (the latter: “they enclose in all that is hidden”)-Two kinds of friends are distinguished at Cnd.510 (in exegesis of Snp.37 & Snp.75), viz.; āgārika˚; (a house-or lay-friend) and anāgārika˚; (a homeless-or clericalfriend). The former is possessed of all ordinary qualities of kindness and love, the latter of special virtues of mind & heart
■ A friend who acts as a sort of Mentor or spiritual adviser, is called a; kalyāṇa-mitta (see under kalyāṇa)
■ Mitta is often combined with similar terms devoting relationship or friendship, e.g. with amaccā colleagues and ñāti-sālohita˚; blood-relations, in ster phrase at Vin.ii.126; AN.i.222; Snp.p.104; Pv-a.28; cp ñāti-mittā relatives & friends Pv.i.5#9; suhada (“dear heart”) DN.iii.187 (four types, cp. m. paṭirūpaka) suhajja one who is dear to one’s heart Pv-a.191; sahāya companion Pv-a.86. The neut. form occurs for kind things DN.iii.188; SN.i.37
■ Opp. sapatta enemy Pv-a.13; amitta a sham friend or enemy Snp.561 (= paccatthika Snp-a.455); DN.iii.185. pāpa-mitta bad friend Pv-a.5
■ For refs. see e.g. Snp.58, Snp.255, Snp.296, Snp.338; Dhp.78, Dhp.375.

• -ābhirādhin one who pleases his friends Ja.iv.274 (= mittesu adubbhamāno C.)
• -ddu [cp. Sk. mitra-druha one who injures or betrays his friends SN.i.225; Snp.244; Ja.iv.260; also in foll. forms:
  ■ -dubbha Pv.ii.9#3 (same passage at Ja.iv.352; Ja.v.240; Ja.vi.310, Ja.vi.375);
  ■ -dūbha Ja.iv.352; Ja.vi.310;
  ■ -dūbhin [cp. Sk. ˚drohin] Ja.iv.257 Ja.v.97 (˚kamma); Ja.vi.375; Dhp-a.ii.23.
• -paṭirūpaka a false friend, one pretending to be a friend DN.iii.185 (four types: añña-d-atthu-hara, vacī-parama, anuppiyabhāṇin apāya-sahāya, i.e. one who takes anything one who is a great talker, one who flatters, one who is a spendthrift companion.)
• -bandhava a relation in friendship, one who is one’s relative as a friend Cnd.455 (where Mnd.11 has manta-bandhava).
• -bheda see mithu-bheda
• -vaṇṇa pretence of friendship, a sham friendship Pv.iv.8#6 (= mitta-rūpa, m- paṭirūpatā Pv-a.268).

cp. Vedic mitra, m. & nt., friend; Av. mipro, friend