Let me try to answer your Q

There is a wordform called 'taddhita' in Paali. there is many kind of that
taddhita. Taddhita is a way to confine word/s by substitution of
particles. those particle have their meanings. one particle can represent
many meanings or on contrary many particle can represent one
meaning.
Jhaano is from '.N' (or 'a' with stressing of first syllable) particle which
to represent meaning 'who has'.
'Jhaana.m assa atthiiti jhaano'
= the one who has jhaana is called jhaano (jhaano is in first singular
masculine derivation form, like nara to be naro).
jhana is a noun, but after in form of taddhita it become adjective to
qualify a noun and the gender is following on the noun it is hang at.

besides above. I'd like to discuss about the meaning of jhaana. is
absorbtion the proper translation of it? in my view, jhaana is a
composing energy of mind attentiveness on one object. So, the
translation staring or contemplating is more agreeable than absorbing.
thanks

--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Duncan" <scduncan@...> wrote:
>
> Dear All,
>
> There is a phrase, repeated in many of the stanzas of this sutta,
> which reads:
>
> "...arittajjhaano viharati..."
>
> So far I've come up with "ani~ncamaana" for the first part of the
> initial compound ("pursue earnestly," among other things). "Viharati"
> is "to stay, abide, dwell, sojourn."
>
> I need help with the -jjhaano- part of the compound. I think it is
> related, of course, to "jhaana" somehow. I'm aware that the term
> refers to "absorption" and a high state of concentration, also to
> burning away.
>
> May I please have some help? In particular, where can I look to learn
> about the suffix "o?"
>
> Scott.
>