1. (m.) starting-point, beginning Snp.358 (acc. ādiṃ = kāraṇaṃ Snp-a.351); Dhp.375 (nom. ādi); Mil.10 (ādimhi); Ja.vi.567 (abl. ādito from the beginning). For use as nt. see below 2 b.
2. (adj & adv.)
   1. (˚-) beginning, initially, first, principal chief: see cpds
   2. (˚-) beginning with, being the first (of a series which either is supposed to be familiar in its constituents to the reader or hearer or is immediately intelligible from the context), i.e. and so on, so forth (cp. adhika); e.g. rukkha-gumb-ādayo (acc. pl. trees, jungle etc. Ja.i.150; amba-panas’ ādīhi rukkehi sampanno (and similar kinds of fruit) Ja.i.278; amba-labuj’ādīnaṃ phalānaṃ anto Ja.ii.159; asi-satti-dhami-ādīni āvudhāni (weapous, such as sword, knife, bow & the like) Ja.i.150 kasi-gorakkh’ ādīni karonte manusse Ja.ii.128;… ti ādinā nayena in this and similar ways Ja.i.81; Pv-a.30. Absolute as nt. pl. ādinī with ti (evaṃ) (ādīni), closing a quotation, meaning “this and such like”, e.g. at Ja.ii.128 Ja.ii.416 (ti ādīni viravitvā)
      ■ In phrase ādiṃ katvā meaning “putting (him, her, it) first”, i.e. heginning with, from… on, from… down (c. acc.) e.g. Dhp-a.i.393 (rājānaṃ ādiṃ K. from the king down); Pv-a.20 (vihāraṃ ādikatvā), Pv-a.21 (pañcavaggiye ādiṃ K.).

• -kammika [cp. BSk. ādikarmaka Divy.544] a beginner Vin.iii.146; Vin.iv.100; Mil.59; Vism.241; Dhs-a.187.
• -kalyāṇa in phrase ādikalyāṇa majjhe-kalyāṇa pariyosāna-kalyāṇa of the Dhamma, “beautiful in the beginning, the middle the end” see references under dhamma C. 3 and cp. DN-a.i.175 (= ādimhi kalyāṇa etc.); Snp-a.444; abstr.
• -kalyāṇatā Vism.4.
• -pubbaṅgama original Dpvs.iv.26.
• -brahmacariyaka belonging to the principles or fundaments of moral life DN.i.189; DN.iii.284; MN.i.431; MN.ii.125, MN.ii.211; MN.iii.192; SN.ii.75, SN.ii.223; SN.iv.91; SN.v.417, SN.v.438; f. ˚ikā Vin.i.64 Vin.i.68; AN.i.231 sq.
• -majjhapariyosāna beginning, middle & end Mil.10; cp. above ādikalyāṇa.

Sk. ādi, etym. uncertain