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 155 of 554
- कुविक kuvikaname of a people.
- कुविद् kuvida particle of interrogation, ‘if, whether;’ or used in direct questions; (a verb…
- कुविन्द kuvindaor kuvindaka, as, m. a weaver, = kupinda.
- कुविवाह ku-vivāha(see 1. ku), a degrading or improper marriage.
- कुवीणा ku-vīṇā(see 1. ku), the lute of the Cāṇḍālas.
- कुवीर kuvīraor ā, f. (?), name of a river.
- कुवृत्तिकृत् kuvṛtti-kṛtthe plant Cæ- salpinia Bonducella (= pūtika).
- कुवेणा ku-veṇā(see 1. ku), name of a river; a fish-basket; (various reading for the following.)
- कुवेणी ku-veṇīa fish-basket; a badly braided tress of hair; a woman with her hair badly braided.
- कुवेर kuveraetc. See under kubera.
- कुवेल kuvelaa water-lily, = kuvalaya, q.v.
- कुवैद्य ku-vaidya(see 1. ku), a bad physician.
- कुव्र kuvraa forest, a wood.
- कुश् kuśkuśyati, to embrace, enfold; (a various reading for kus, q.v.)
- कुश kuśa(used in Sūtra works, but the word darbha is more common in the Brāhmaṇas), grass…
- कुशय kuśayaor kuśapa, as, m. a drinking-vessel, a cup, a goblet, a cistern.
- कुशित kuśitamixed or combined with water;
- कुशिन् kuśinfurnished with Kuśa grass; (ī), m. an epithet of Vālmīki (so called with reference to…
- कुशज kuśajaname of a people; (a various reading for kuśala.)
- कुशण्ड kuśaṇḍaname of a people.
- कुशनामन् kuśanāmana camel;
- कुशनार kuśanāraa various reading for kuśa-dhārā.
- कुशय kuśayaor kuśapa. See last col.
- कुशर ku-śara(see 1. ku), Vedic a kind of reed.
- कुशरीर ku-śarīra(see 1. ku), a bad body; (as), m., name of a Muni.
- कुशल kuśalaright, proper, suitable, good (e.g. kuśalam man, to consider good, to approve), well…
- कुशलिन् kuśalinhealthy, well, happy, prosperous; auspicious, favourable, good; virtuous; clever.
- कुशलीकृ kuśalī-kṛ-karoti, -kartum, to make right or proper, to arrange in due order.
- कुशाध्य kuśādhyaor kuśāḍhya (?), ās, m. pl., name of a people;
- कुशाम्ब kuśāmbaname of a son of Vasu Uparicara; name of a son of Kuśa, who was the founder of the town…
- कुशाम्बु kuśāmbuname of a son of Kuśa, the founder of Kauśāmbī.
- कुशाल्मलि ku-śālmali(see 1. ku), the plant Andersonia Rohitaka.
- कुशिंशपा ku-śiṃśapāa kind of Sisu tree, Dalbergia Sisu, = kapila-śiṃśapā.
- कुशिक kuśikasquint-eyed; (as), m., name of the father of Viśvā-mitra; name of the father of Gāthin or…
- कुशित kuśitaetc. See under kuśa.
- कुशिम्बि ku-śimbi(?), (see 1. ku), name of a plant;
- कुशीद kuśīdathe profession of usury; red saunders;
- कुशील ku-śīla(see 1. ku), illbehaved, rude, wicked; evil-disposed; ill-tempered.
- कुशीलव kuśīlavaa bard, herald; an actor, dancer, mime; a newsmonger; an epithet of Vālmīki; (au), m. du…
- कुशीवश kuśīvaśaan epithet of Vālmīki;
- कुशुम्भ kuśumbhaa jar; the waterpot of an ascetic;
- कुशूल kuśūlaa granary, a cupboard, a store-room, a place in which rice or other grain is kept; a…
- कुशेशय kuśe-śayaetc. See under kuśa.
- कुश्रि kuśriname of a teacher.
- कुश्रुत ku-śruta(see 1. ku), indistinctly heard.
- कुश्वभ्र ku-śvabhra(see 1. ku), a small hole.
- कुष् kuṣkuṣṇāti, cukoṣa, koṣiṣyati, akoṣīt, koṣitum, to tear, tear asunder, to force or draw out…
- कुषण्ड ku-ṣaṇḍa(see 1. ku), name of a priest.
- कुषल kuṣalaclever, expert, etc.; (a wrong reading for kuśala.)
- कुषवा kuṣavāname of a Rākṣasī.
- कुषाकु kuṣākuburning, scorching, inflaming; wicked, detestable; (us), m. fire; the sun; a monkey;
- कुषारु kuṣāruname of a man.
- कुषित् kuṣitexcellently; (for kuvit?).
- कुषित kuṣitamixed with water; (am), n. happy, well, right, fortunate, auspicious, etc. (?).
- कुषीतक kuṣītakaa kind of bird; name of a man; (ās), m. pl. the descendants of this man.
- कुषीद ku-ṣīdaindifferent, apathetic, inert; (am), n. usury; (more correctly kusīda.)
- कुषीदिन् kuṣīdinname of a teacher.
- कुषुभ्य kuṣubhyakuṣubhyati, to throw; to abuse; to despise.
- कुषुम्भ kuṣumbhathe poisonbag of an insect.
- कुष्ठ kuṣṭhaor am, m. or n., a sort of medicinal plant (used as a remedy for the disease called…
- कुष्ठित kuṣṭhitaor kuṣṭhin, ī, inī, i, leprous, a leper.
- कुष्ठल ku-ṣṭhalaa bad place or spot; the surface of the earth.
- कुष्ठिका kuṣṭhikā(related to kuṣṭhā?), Vedic a part of the foot of a sacrificial animal considered…
- कुष्मल kuṣmalacutting, dividing; a leaf.
- कुष्माण्ड kuṣmāṇḍaa kind of pumpkin-gourd, Benincasa Cerifera; false conception; a state of the womb in…
- कुष्माण्डक kuṣmāṇḍakathe gourd Benincasa Cerifera; name of a Nāga; name of an attendant of Śiva.
- कुस् kuskusyati, to embrace, surround;
- कुसचिव ku-saciva(see 1. ku), a bad counsellor.
- कुसरित् ku-sarit(see 1. ku), a shallow stream.
- कुसलम् kusalamwell, happy, etc.; (more correctly kuśala, q.v.)
- कुसहाय ku-sahāya(see 1. ku), a bad companion.
- कुसारथि ku-sārathi(see 1. ku), a bad charioteer.
- कुसित kusitaan inhabited country; name of a country; a moneylender (?), see kusīda.
- कुसिदायी kusidāyīthe wife of a Kusida, of a money-lender (?), see kusīdāyī; a kind of demon (?).
- कुसिन्ध kusindhaa trunk.
- कुसिम्बी kusimbī= śimbī.
- कुसीद ku-sīda(see 1. ku), Vedic sitting too long in one spot (?), lazy, slothful, inert; (am), n. any…
- कुसीदायी kusīdāyīthe wife of a usurer.
- कुसीदिक kusīdikaone who follows the profession of usury.
- कुसीदिन् kusīdina usurer; name of a descendant of Kaṇva, author of several hymns of the Ṛg-veda.
- कुसुम kusumaa flower; (am), n. fruit; the menstrual discharge; a term for the shorter sections of…
- कुसुमय kusumayakusumayati, -yitum, to produce flowers, cause to flower.
- कुसुमित kusumitafurnished with flowers, flowered, budded, in flower.
- कुसुम्य kusumyakusumyati, to begin to flower.
- कुसुमाल kusumālaa thief.
- कुसुम्भ kusumbhasafflower, Carthamus Tinctorius; saffron, Crocus Sativus; the water-pot of the student…
- कुसुरुविन्द kusuruvindaor kusurubinda, as, m., name of a descendant of Uddālaka.
- कुसुरुबिन्दु kusurubinduor kusuruvindu, us, m., name of an author of several verses of the Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā.
- कुसू kusūan earth-worm.
- कुसूल kusūlaa kind of spiritual or supernatural being; a granary etc. See kuśūla.
- कुसृति ku-sṛti(see 1. ku), evil conduct, wickedness, depravity; conjuring, sleight-ofhand, magic; (is…
- कुस्तुभ kustubhaan epithet of Viṣṇu.
- कुस्तुम्बरी kustumbarīa pungent seed used in condiments, coriander.
- कुस्तुम्बरु kustumbaruname of one of Kubera's attendants.
- कुस्तुम्बुरु kustumburuthe plant coriander; (u), n. the seed of this plant.
- कुस्त्री ku-strī(see 1. ku), a bad woman.
- कुस्मय kusmayakusmayate, to smile improperly; to see mentally, guess; to perceive, to imagine.
- कुस्वप्न ku-svapna(see 1. ku), a bad dream, a nightmare.
- कुस्वामिन् ku-svāmin(see 1. ku), a bad master.
- कुह् kuhkuhayate, -yitum, to surprise, astonish; to excite wonder, to cheat, to deceive by…
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).