मुक्ता

Traditionally derived from मुच् (√muc, “to loosen, let loose, free” (verb मुञ्चति (muñcáti))) +‎ -त (-ta, “-ed”), as pearl collectors would "loosen" pearls from the shells of clams.

However, Mayrhofer considers the above to be folk etymology, and prefers to derive the word from an unattested intermediate *मुत्ता (muttā) (whence Pali muttā (“pearl”)), which was hyper-corrected in order to match the folk etymology.

In light of the intermediate form, more likely from मूर्ता (mūrtā, “trickled, spread-over, congealed”), the past participle of मूर्छ् (mūrch), or, along with corresponding Dravidian words (compare Tamil முத்து (muttu)), borrowed from some other source language.

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /muk.tɑ́ː/, [muk̚.tɑ́ː]
• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈmuk.t̪ɑː/, [ˈmuk̚.t̪ɑː]

मुक्ता • (muktā) stem, f

1. pearl
2. unchaste woman
3. species of plant

• मुक्त (mukta, “pearl”)

• → Bengali: মুক্ত (mukto)
• → Thai: มุก (múk)
• >? Pali: muttā

• Monier Williams (1899) “मुक्ता”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 820/3.
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (2001) Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎ (in German), volume 3, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 408
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (1963) Kurzgefasstes Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen [A Concise Etymological Sanskrit Dictionary] (in German), volume 2, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, pages 647-648