Where does “छोटा-मोटा” come from?

छोटा-मोटा (Hindi) comes from Hindi मोटा, from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀫𑁄𑀝𑁆𑀝, from Prakrit 𑀫𑁄𑀝.

छोटा-मोटा (Hindi): insignificant, unimportant

Definitions

  1. insignificant, unimportant

Ancestry of “छोटा-मोटा”, step by step

छोटा-मोटा traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Hindi मोटा

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hindiमोटाfat, large; thick; coarse, not fine
2Sauraseni Prakrit𑀫𑁄𑀝𑁆𑀝—
3Prakrit𑀫𑁄𑀝—

via Hindi छोटा

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hindiछोटाlittle, small; younger, junior, minor, lesser;...
2Ashokan Prakrit?????small
Every word from Prakrit 𑀫𑁄𑀝 →Every word from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀫𑁄𑀝𑁆𑀝 →Every word from Hindi मोटा →