voc
Reverend Sir; O lord
Bhante [would correspond either to Sanskrit bhavantaḥ (with ending °e as Māgadhism for °aḥ) = bhavān, or to Pāli bhadanta. In both cases we have a contraction. The explanation bhante = bhadante (bhadantaḥ) is advocated by Pischel, Pkt Gr. §§165, 366b, intimated also by Weber, Bhagavatī 156, note 3 (unable to explain -e); the explanation bhante = bhavantah (see bhavaṃ) by Geiger, Pāli Grammar 98.3; hinted at by Weber loc. cit. (bhavantaḥ = Bhagavantaḥ)] vocative of polite address: Sir, venerable Sir, used like bhadante. Either absolute as vocative: Vin I 76; D II 154, 283; Ja II 111; III 46; Miln 19; or with another vocative: Miln 25; or with other oblique cases, as with nominative D I 179; Dhp-a I 62. with genitive D I 179.
(bhadanta 的【呼】), 尊者！大德！
(masc, masc, voc sg & pl of bhavant, irreg) sir; sirs; lord; lords; venerable sir; venerable sirs; reverend; reverends Reverend Sir, O lord Construction: bhava + nta + e bhavanta + e > bhante