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 152 of 554
- कुथुमिन् kuthuminname of a man.
- कुद् kudkodayati, -yitum, to tell a lie; (a various reading for kundr, q.v.)
- कुदण्ड ku-daṇḍa(see 1. ku), an unjust punishment.
- कुदाल kudālamountain ebony;
- कुदिन ku-dina(see 1. ku), an evil day; a rainy or cloudy day.
- कुदिष्टि ku-diṣṭi(see 1. ku), a measure of length, longer than a Diṣṭi, shorter than a Vitasti.
- कुदृश्य ku-dṛśya(see 1. ku), illfavoured, ugly, unseemly.
- कुदृष्ट ku-dṛṣṭaseen wrongly or indistinctly.
- कुदृष्टि ku-dṛṣṭihaving bad eyes; (is), f. weak sight, evil eye; a heterodox philosophical doctrine, as…
- कुदेश ku-deśa(see 1. ku), a bad country, where it is difficult to obtain the necessaries of life; a…
- कुदेह ku-deha(see 1. ku), a bad, miserable body.
- कुद्दल kuddalamountain ebony;
- कुद्दार kuddāraor kuddāla, as, am, m. n. a kind of spade or hoe; (as), m. mountain ebony, Bauhinia…
- कुद्दालक kuddālakaor am, m. or n. (?), a spade or hoe; (am), n. a copper pitcher.
- कुद्मल kudmalaan opening bud etc.; (a wrong spelling for kuḍmala.)
- कुद्य kudyaa wall; (a wrong spelling for kuḍya.)
- कुद्रङ्क kudraṅkaor kudraṅga, as, m. a watch-house; a dwelling raised on a platform or scaffold;
- कुद्रव kudravaa kind of grass, the grain of which is eaten by the poor, Paspalum Scrobiculatum;
- कुद्रि kudriname of a man; (ayas), m. pl. the descendants of this man.
- कुधान्य ku-dhānya(see 1. ku), a particular description of grain.
- कुधी ku-dhī(see 1. ku), foolish, stupid; wicked; (īs), m. a fool.
- कुध्र ku-dhraa mountain.
- कुनक kunakaname of a people.
- कुनख ku-nakha(see 1. ku), having ugly nails; (am), n. a disease of the nails.
- कुनखिन् kunakhinhaving bad or diseased nails; (ī), m., name of a man and name of a book belonging to the…
- कुनट kunaṭaa sort of trumpet flower, Bignonia (śyonāka-prabheda); (ī), f. a kind of coriander…
- कुनदिका ku-nadikā(see 1. ku), a small river.
- कुनन्नम ku-nannamainflexible.
- कुनलिन् ku-nalin(see 1. ku), the plant Agati Grandiflora.
- कुनह kunahaname of a people; (a various reading for kuṇapa.)
- कुनाथ ku-nātha(see 1. ku), a bad protector; (as, ā, am), having a bad leader.
- कुनादीका ku-nādīkā(see 1. ku), a small river; also ku-nadikā, q.v.
- कुनाभि ku-nābhi(see 1. ku), a whirlwind; the collective treasures of Kuvera.
- कुनामन् ku-nāman(see 1. ku), having a bad name; having a bad reputation; (ā), m., name of a man; (a), n…
- कुनायक ku-nāyaka(see 1. ku), having a bad leader, unprotected.
- कुनाल kunālaa kind of bird living on the Himālaya; name of a son of king Aśoka, named after the eyes…
- कुनालिक kunālikathe Indian cuckoo or Kokila;
- कुनाशक ku-nāśaka(see 1. ku), the plant Alhagi Maurorum.
- कुनि kuniname of a prince.
- कुनिषञ्ज ku-niṣañja(see 1. ku), name of a son of the tenth Manu.
- कुनीति ku-nīti(see 1. ku), ill conduct, misbehaviour; corrupt administration or policy, misgovernment…
- कुनेत्रक ku-netrakaname of a Muni.
- कुन्त kuntaa spear, a lance, a barbed dart; a small animal, an insect; a species of grain, Coix…
- कुन्तल kuntalathe hair of the head, a lock of hair; a drinking cup; a plough; barley; a kind of…
- कुन्तलिका kuntalikāa butter knife or scoop; a species of plant.
- कुन्ताप kuntāpaname of certain organs or glands (?), twenty in number, supposed to be in the belly; name…
- कुन्ति kuntiname of a people; (is), m. sing. the prince of this people, also called Kunti-bhoja…
- कुन्तिक kuntikaname of a people.
- कुन्थ् kunthkunthati, -thitum, to hurt, injure; to suffer pain, want, etc.; to be distressed; cl. 9…
- कुन्थु kunthuname of the sixth Jaina Cakravartin or emperor in Bhārata; also of the seventeenth Arhat…
- कुन्द kundaa kind of jasmine, Jasminum Multiflorum or Pubescens; (as), m. fragrant oleander, Nerium…
- कुन्दक kundakathe plant Boswellia Thurifera; the resin of this plant.
- कुन्दिनी kundinīan assemblage of lotus flowers or of jasmines.
- कुन्दम kundamaa cat.
- कुन्दर kundaraa sort of grass; an epithet of Viṣṇu;
- कुन्दु kundua mouse, a rat; (us), f. the resin of the plant Boswellia Thurifera; gum olibanum or…
- कुन्दुर kunduraor kunduru, us, m. f. the resin of the plant Boswellia Thurifera.
- कुन्दुरुक kundurukathe resin of the plant Boswellia Thurifera; (ī), f. the plant Boswellia Thurifera.
- कुन्द्र् kundrkundrayati, -yitum, to tell a lie;
- कुप्1 kup(ep. also A.) kupyati, -te, cukopa, kopiṣyati, akupat, kopitum, to be moved, excited…
- कुप kupathe beam or lever of a pair of scales.
- कुपन kupananame of an Asura.
- कुपय kupayaheaving, swelling with emotion; disturbed; (Sāy.) to be guarded or protected (as if…
- कुपित kupitaprovoked, incensed, offended, angry, bristling.
- कुप्य kupyato be excited; (am), n. a vile metal, any metal but silver and gold, base metal, copper…
- कुप्यक kupyakaat the end of compounds = kupya.
- कोप kopapassion, anger. See s.v.
- कुप्2 kupkopayati, -yitum, to speak, to shine;
- कुपङ्क ku-paṅka(see 1. ku), a slough, a heap of filth and mud.
- कुपट ku-paṭaor am, m. or n. (see 1. ku), miserable clothes, a miserable garment; (as), m., name of a…
- कुपत kupataexcellent.
- कुपथ ku-patha(see 1. ku), a bad road, an evil way; bad conduct, evil way of living, immorality…
- कुपथ्य kupathyabelonging to a bad way, literally or figuratively; unwholesome (as diet, regimen, etc.)…
- कुपरिज्ञात ku-parijñāta(see 1. ku), badly understood, wrongly comprehended.
- कुपरीक्षक ku-parīkṣaka(see 1. ku), making a false estimate, not valuing rightly.
- कुपरीक्षित ku-parīkṣitabadly examined or tested.
- कुपाणि ku-pāṇi(see 1. ku), crookedhanded, having a deformed or maimed hand.
- कुपात्र ku-pātraan unfit recipient.
- कुपिञ्जल ku-piñjala(see 1. ku), name of a man;
- कुपित kupitaSee under rt. kup above.
- कुपितृ ku-pitṛ(see 1. ku), a bad father.
- कुपिनी kupinīa kind of net for catching small fish, made of bamboos or rushes.
- कुपिनिन् kupinina fisherman.
- कुपिन्द kupindaa weaver;
- कुपीलु ku-pīlu(see 1. ku), a sort of ebony tree;
- कुपुत्र ku-putra(see 1. ku), a bad son; a disobedient or wicked son; a son of an inferior degree, as an…
- कुपुरुष ku-puruṣa(see 1. ku), a low, vile, or miserable man; a poltroon.
- कुपूय ku-pūya(see 1. ku), inferior, low, vile, contemptible;
- कुप्रावरण ku-prāvaraṇaor ku-prāvṛta, as, ā, am (see 1. ku), badly or miserably dressed.
- कुप्रिय ku-priya(see 1. ku), disagreeable, contemptible, low, vile, last, worst.
- कुप्लव ku-plava(see 1. ku), a weak or frail raft or float.
- कुबधू ku-badhū(see 1. ku), a wicked wife.
- कुबन्ध ku-bandha(see 1. ku), a disgraceful stigma;
- कुबल kubalaetc. See under kuvala, etc.
- कुबुद्धि ku-buddhi(see 1. ku), a person of base or vile sentiments; stupid, foolish.
- कुबेर kuberaor in later Sanskrit kuvera, as, m., originally name of the chief of the evil beings or…
- कुबेरक kuberakathe tree Cedrela Toona (tunna); (ikā), f., name of a woman.
- कुबेरिण kuberiṇa(?), name of a mixed caste.
- कुब्ज kubjahump-backed, crooked; (as), m. a curved sword, scymitar; a sort of fish, Bola Cuja; the…
- कुब्जक kubjakahump-backed, crooked; (as), m. the aquatic plant Trapa Bispinosa; (ikā), f. in the word…
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).