Pronunciation guide: Devanagari, IAST and endings
Vowels
| अ | a | a in “about” |
| आ | ā | a in “father” (long) |
| इ | i | i in “sit” |
| ई | ī | ee in “see” (long) |
| उ | u | u in “put” |
| ऊ | ū | oo in “food” (long) |
| ऋ | ṛ | vowel r, like “ri” in “rich” (short) |
| ॠ | ṝ | the same, held longer |
| ऌ | ḷ | vowel l, like “le” in “table” |
| ए | e | ay in “day” (always long) |
| ऐ | ai | ai in “aisle” |
| ओ | o | o in “go” (always long) |
| औ | au | ow in “now” |
Vowel signs (mātrās) after a consonant: का kā · कि ki · की kī · कु ku · कू kū · कृ kṛ · के ke · कै kai · को ko · कौ kau. A consonant with no sign has a built-in short a (क = ka).
Consonants
Throat (velar)
| क | k | k in “skin” |
| ख | kh | k with a puff, “blockhead” |
| ग | g | g in “go” |
| घ | gh | gh in “doghouse” |
| ङ | ṅ | ng in “sing” |
Palate
| च | c | ch in “church” |
| छ | ch | ch with a puff, “staunch heart” |
| ज | j | j in “jam” |
| झ | jh | dgeh in “hedgehog” |
| ञ | ñ | ny in “canyon” |
Tongue curled back (retroflex)
| ट | ṭ | t with the tongue tip curled back |
| ठ | ṭh | the same with a puff |
| ड | ḍ | d, tongue curled back |
| ढ | ḍh | the same with a puff |
| ण | ṇ | n, tongue curled back |
Teeth (dental)
| त | t | t with the tongue on the teeth (French t) |
| थ | th | t with a puff, “at home” (never “thin”) |
| द | d | d on the teeth |
| ध | dh | dh in “adhere” |
| न | n | n in “nut” |
Lips
| प | p | p in “spin” |
| फ | ph | p with a puff, “uphill” (never “f”) |
| ब | b | b in “bat” |
| भ | bh | bh in “abhor” |
| म | m | m in “mat” |
Others
| य | y | y in “yes” |
| र | r | a light tapped r |
| ल | l | l in “love” |
| व | v | between v and w |
| श | ś | sh in “shine” |
| ष | ṣ | sh with the tongue curled back |
| स | s | s in “sun” |
| ह | h | h in “hand” |
An h after a consonant (kh, gh, th, dh, ph, bh…) means a puff of breath; it is never the English “th”, “ph” or “sh” sound.
Special signs
| कं | ṃ | anusvāra: a nasal hum, sounding like the nasal of the next consonant (saṃskṛta) |
| कः | ḥ | visarga: a soft breath echoing the vowel before it (devaḥ ≈ “deva-ha”) |
| क् | — | virāma: removes the built-in a (क ka → क् k) |
| कँ | m̐ | candrabindu: the vowel is said through the nose |
| कऽ | ’ | avagraha: an a dropped after e or o (so ’ham = so aham) |
What the marks in IAST mean
- Line on top (ā ī ū ṝ): a long vowel, held about twice as long.
- Dot under r, l (ṛ ṝ ḷ): r or l used as a vowel.
- Dot under t, d, n, s (ṭ ḍ ṇ ṣ): tongue tip curled back (retroflex).
- ṃ: anusvāra (nasal hum) · ḥ: visarga (echoing breath).
- ṅ: ng as in “sing” · ñ: ny as in “canyon” · ś: sh as in “shine”.
Long and short syllables, and stress
A syllable is heavy if its vowel is long (ā ī ū ṝ e ai o au), or it is followed by two consonants, or it ends in ṃ or ḥ; otherwise it is light. Usual modern stress (as in Latin): stress the second-last syllable if it is heavy (saṃ·skṛ·ta: skṛ is light, so the stress falls on the heavy saṃ; ma·hā·bhā·ra·ta; rā·mā·ya·ṇa); if not, go back to the third-last, then the fourth-last. Old Vedic pitch accents are not shown.
Common endings (inflections)
Nouns: deva (masculine, “god”)
| devaḥ | the god (subject) | devāḥ | the gods |
| devam | the god (object) | devān | the gods (object) |
| devena | by / with the god | devaiḥ | by the gods |
| devāya | to / for the god | devebhyaḥ | to / for the gods |
| devāt | from the god | devebhyaḥ | from the gods |
| devasya | of the god | devānām | of the gods |
| deve | in / on the god | deveṣu | in the gods |
| he deva | O god! | he devāḥ | O gods! |
Verbs: bhū “to be, become”, present tense
| bhavati | he / she / it is | bhavanti | they are |
| bhavasi | you are (one person) | bhavatha | you are (several) |
| bhavāmi | I am | bhavāmaḥ | we are |
Dictionary headwords are stems (deva, bhū); in texts the words carry these endings, and sounds join across word boundaries (sandhi).
Sanskrit Dictionary
Dictionary scope: अ a, आ ā, ब b, भ bh, इ i, ई ī, उ u, ऊ ū, ऋ ṛ, ॠ ṝ, ऌ ḷ, ए e, ऐ ai, ओ o, औ au, क k, ख kh, ग g, घ gh, ङ ṅ, च c, छ ch, ज j, झ jh, ञ ñ, ट ṭ, ठ ṭh, ड ḍ, ढ ḍh, ण ṇ, त t, थ th, द d, ध dh, न n, प p, फ ph, म m, य y, र r, ल l, व v, श ś, ष ṣ, स s and ह h · 114,538 entries
Every headword in Monier Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872), in Sanskrit alphabetical order. Jump by letter above, use the page tabs, or keep scrolling — more words load as you go.
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55,387 headwords · page 11 of 554
- अदादि ad-ādihaving ad at the head, i.e. belonging to the second class of roots headed by ad.
- अदान a-dānanot giving, act of withholding; (as, ā, am,), not giving.
- अदान्य a-dānyanot giving, miserly.
- अदामन् a-dāmannot liberal, miserly.
- अदायिन् a-dāyinnot giving.
- अदाशु a-dāśuor a-dāśuri, is, m. or a-dāśvas, ān, m. not giving, not sacrificing, impious.
- अदिति1 a-ditihaving nothing to give, destitution; for 2. aditi, 3. a-diti, see below.
- अदान्त a-dāntaunsubdued.
- अदाभ्य a-dābhyafree from deceit, trusty; not to be trifled with; (as), m., name of a libation (graha) in…
- अदायाद a-dāyādanot entitled to be an heir; destitute of heirs.
- अदायिक a-dāyikaunclaimed from want of persons entitled to inherit; not relating to inheritance.
- अदार1 a-dārahaving no wife.
- अदार2 a-dāranon-injuring.
- अदास a-dāsa(not a slave), a free man.
- अदाह्य a-dāhyaincombustible.
- अदिक्क a-dikkahaving no share in the horizon, banished from beneath the sky.
- अदिति2 aditidevourer, i.e. death; for 1. a-diti, see above.
- अदिति3 a-ditinot tied, free; boundless; unbroken, entire, unimpaired; happy; pious; (is), f. freedom…
- अदित्सत् a-ditsator a-ditsu, us, us, u, not inclined to give.
- अदिप्रभृति adi-prabhṛtiad etc., i.e. belonging to the second class of roots.
- अदीक्षित a-dīkṣitaone who has not performed the consecrating ceremony (dīkṣā) connected with the Soma…
- अदीन a-dīnanot depressed; not low; noble-minded; rich happy; (as), m., name of a prince, also called…
- अदीपित a-dīpitanot illuminated.
- अदीर्घ a-dīrghanot long.
- अदुःख a-duḥkha(free from evil or trouble), propitious.
- अदुग्ध a-dugdhanot milked out, not sucked out.
- अदुच्छुन a-ducchunafree from evil, propitious.
- अदुर्ग a-durganot difficult of access; destitute of a strong hold or fort.
- अदुर्मख a-durmakhanot reluctant, unremitting, cheerful.
- अदुर्मङ्गल a-durmaṅgalanot inauspicious.
- अदुर्वृत्त a-durvṛttanot of a bad character or disposition.
- अदुष्ट a-duṣṭanot vitiated, not bad, not guilty; innocent.
- अदू a-dūdilatory, without zeal, not worshipping.
- अदून a-dūnauninjured, unimpaired.
- अदूर a-dūranot distant, near; (am), n. vicinity.
- अदूषित a-dūṣitaunvitiated; unspotted, irreproachable.
- अदृढ a-dṛḍhanot firm; not decided, irresolute.
- अदृपित a-dṛpitanot treated haughtily (?), not thoughtless.
- अदृप्त adṛptanot conceited, not vain.
- अदृप्यत् adṛpyatnot conceited.
- अदृश् a-dṛśsightless, blind.
- अदृश्य a-dṛśyainvisible, latent; not fit to be seen.
- अदृश्यत् a-dṛśyatinvisible; (ī), f., name of Vasiṣṭha's daughter-in-law.
- अदृष्ट a-dṛṣṭaunseen, unforeseen; invisible; not experienced; unobserved, unknown; unsanctioned; (as)…
- अदृष्टि a-dṛṣṭior a-dṛṣṭikā, f. a displeased or malicious look, an evil eye.
- अदेय a-deyaimproper or unfit to be given; (am), n. an object which, in law, it is either not right…
- अदेव a-devanot divine, not of divine origin, not referring to any deity; godless, impious; (as), m…
- अदेवक a-devakanot referring to or intended for any deity.
- अदेवता a-devatāone who is not a deity.
- अदेवत्र a-devatraor a-devatrā, ind., Vedic not towards the gods.
- अदेवयत् a-devayator adevayu, us, us, u, Vedic indifferent to the gods, irreligious.
- अदैव a-daivanot referring to or connected with the gods or with their action; not predetermined by…
- अदेवृघ्नी a-devṛ-ghnīnot destructive to her brother-in-law.
- अदेश a-deśaa wrong place, an improper place.
- अदेश्य a-deśyaimproper or unfit to be ordered or advised or indicated; not on the spot, not present on…
- अदोमद a-doma-daor a-doma-dha, as, ā, am, Vedic not occasioning inconvenience.
- अदोमय ado-mayaetc. See adas.
- अदोह a-dohaseason when milking is impracticable.
- अदोग्धृ a-dogdhṛ(not milking), not exacting; considerate.
- अद्ग adgaa sacrificial cake, also called puroḍāśa; (according to others) an oblation of clarified…
- अद्ट् adṭor अद्ड् adḍ. See. s.v. aṭṭ.
- अद्धा ad-dhāin this way; manifestly; certainly, truly.
- अद्धाति addhātia wise man, a seer.
- अद्ध्यालोहकर्ण addhyā-loha-karṇaor ī, am, Vedic having ears quite red (?).
- अद्भुत adbhutatranscendental, supernatural, prodigious, wonderful, marvellous; (as), m. the marvellous…
- अद्मन् admaneating; a meal; a house.
- अद्मनि admanifire.
- अद्मर admaragluttonous.
- अद्य1 adyafit or proper to be eaten; (am), n. food, anything eatable.
- अद्य2 a-dyaor Vedic adyā, ind., to-day; now-a-days; now.
- अद्यतन adyatanaextending over or referring to to-day; occurring or current to-day or now-a-days, modern…
- अद्यतनीय adyatanīyaextending over or referring to to-day; current now-a-days.
- अद्यु a-dyublunt.
- अद्युत् a-dyutdestitute of brightness.
- अद्यूत्य a-dyūtyaunlucky gambling; (according to others) the watch just before the dawn; (as, ā, am,), not…
- अद्रव a-dravanot liquid.
- अद्रव्य a-dravyaa nothing, a worthless thing.
- अद्रि adria stone, a rock, a mountain; a stone for pounding Soma with or grinding it on; a stone…
- अद्रिका adrikāname of an Apsaras.
- अद्रुह् a-druhor adruhvan, ā, ā, a, Vedic free from malice or treachery.
- अद्रोघ a-droghafree from falsehood, true; (am), ind. without falsehood.
- अद्रोह a-drohafreedom from malice or treachery.
- अद्रोहिन् a-drohinfree from malice or treachery.
- अद्वन् advaneating; (used at the end of compound words.)
- अद्वय a-dvayanot two, without a second, only, unique; (as), m., name of Buddha; (am), n. non-duality…
- अद्वयत् a-dvayator a-dvayas, ās, m., Vedic free from duplicity.
- अद्वयाविन् a-dvayāvinor a-dvayu, us, m., Vedic free from double dealing or duplicity.
- अद्वार a-dvāraa place without a door; an entrance which is not the proper door.
- अद्विज a-dvijadestitute of Brāhmans.
- अद्वितीय a-dvitīyawithout a second, sole, unique; matchless.
- अद्विषेण्य a-dviṣeṇyanot to be disliked; not malevolent.
- अद्वेष a-dveṣanot malevolent.
- अद्वेषस् adveṣaswithout malevolence, without opposition.
- अद्वेषिन् adveṣinfree from malevolence.
- अद्वेष्टृ adveṣṭṛnot an enemy; a friend.
- अद्वैत a-dvaitadestitute of duality, having no duplicate; peerless; sole, unique; epithet of Viṣṇu…
- अध adhaor adhā, ind., Vedic (much the same as atha, used chiefly as an inceptive particle), now…
- अधः adhaḥetc. See अधस्।
- अधन a-dhanadestitute of wealth or property.
- अधन्य a-dhanyanot richly supplied with corn or other produce; not prosperous; unhappy, wretched.
Source and licence. Monier Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Etymologically and Philologically Arranged (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1872; first edition). Digital text: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries (MW72, csl-orig/v02/mw72), © Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon project contributors, Cologne University, accessed 7 October 2026, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, provided without warranty.
Changes made here: entries for अ a, आ ā, ब b, भ bh, इ i, ई ī, उ u, ऊ ū, ऋ ṛ, ॠ ṝ, ऌ ḷ, ए e, ऐ ai, ओ o, औ au, क k, ख kh, ग g, घ gh, ङ ṅ, च c, छ ch, ज j, झ jh, ञ ñ, ट ṭ, ठ ṭh, ड ḍ, ढ ḍh, ण ṇ, त t, थ th, द d, ध dh, न n, प p, फ ph, म m, य y, र r, ल l, व v, श ś, ष ṣ, स s and ह h only; meanings trimmed for length and MW abbreviations expanded; Devanagari generated from the SLP1 keys with indic_transliteration; spelling notes, IPA pronunciations and labelled (“inferred”/“not given”) etymologies added. This adapted dictionary text is shared under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Fonts: Noto Serif and Noto Serif Devanagari (SIL Open Font License).