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 17 of 554
- अनवलम्ब an-avalambahaving no prop or support.
- अनवलम्बन an-avalambanaindependence.
- अनवलम्बित an-avalambitanot propped up, not supported, not dependent.
- अनवलेप an-avalepafree from (moral) veneer, unvarnished, unassuming.
- अनवलोभन an-avalobhana(‘nonlonging’). name of ceremony to be observed by a pregnant woman; title of a…
- अनवस an-avasanot stopping to eat by the way.
- अनवसर an-avasarahaving no interval of leisure, busy; coming when there is no such interval, inopportune…
- अनवसाद्य an-avasādyawithout annoying.
- अनवसान an-avasānahaving no setting, free from death; endless.
- अनवसित an-avasitanot set, not terminated; (ā), f., name of a species of the Triṣṭubh metre, consisting of…
- अनवस्यत् an-avasyatunceasing.
- अनवस्कर an-avaskarafree from dirt, dean, cleansed.
- अनवस्थ an-avasthaunsettled, unstable; (ā), f. unsettled condition or character; instability, unsteady or…
- अनवस्थान an-avasthānaunstable, fickle; (as), m. wind; (am), n. instability; unsteadiness or looseness of…
- अनवस्थायिन् an-avasthāyintransient.
- अनवस्थित an-avasthitaunsettled, unsteady, loose in conduct.
- अनवस्थिति an-avasthitiinstability; unsteadiness; looseness of character.
- अनवस्यत् an-ava-syatSee an-avasāna.
- अनवहित an-avahitaheedless, inattentive.
- अनवह्वर an-avahvaranot crooked, straightforward.
- अनवाच् an-avācnot speechless, the reverse of speechless.
- अनवाञ्च् an-avāñcnot inclining downwards, looking up or straightforward.
- अनवानम् an-avānamwithout breathing (between), in one breath, without interruption, uno tenore.
- अनवाप्त an-avāptanot obtained.
- अनवाप्ति an-avāptinon-attainment.
- अनवायम् an-avāyamuninterruptedly, unyieldingly.
- अनविथ्य an-avithyanot suited to sheep.
- अनवेक्ष an-avekṣaregardless; (am), ind. irrespectively; without regard to; (ā), f. or an-avekṣaṇa, am, n…
- अनव्रत an-avratanot (wholly) destitute of ascetic performances; (as), m. a Jaina devotee of that…
- अनशन an-aśanaabstinence from food, fasting, especially as a form of suicide adopted from vindictive…
- अनशनाय an-aśanāyanot hungry.
- अनशित an-aśitacondition of not having eaten, fasting.
- अनश्नत् an-aśnatnot eating, not enjoying.
- अनश्नान an-aśnānanot eating.
- अनश्रु an-aśrutearless.
- अनश्व an-aśvahaving no horse or horses; (as), m. something that is not a horse.
- अनश्वन् an-aśvanname of Parīkṣit's father.
- अनश्वर a-naśvaraimperishable.
- अनष्ट a-naṣṭaundestroyed, unimpaired.
- अनस् anasa cart; a mother; birth; offspring, living creature; boiled rice.
- अनडुह् anaḍ-uhsee s.v. (s changed to ḍ and r).
- अनसूय an-asūyanot spiteful, not envious; (ā), f. freedom from spite; absence of ill-will or envy; name…
- अनसूयक an-asūyakaor an-asūyu, us, us, u, not spiteful or envious.
- अनसूरि an-a-sūrinot unwise, wise.
- अनस्तमित an-astam-itanot gone down; not subject to setting or declining.
- अनस्थ an-asthaor an-asthi, is, is, i, or anasthika, as, ā, am, or anasthi-mat, ān, atī, at, boneless.
- अनहङ्कार an-ahaṅkāra(non-egotism), absence of or freedom from self-conceit, or the tendency to regard self as…
- अनहङ्कृत an-ahaṅkṛtaor an-ahaṃ-vādin, ī, inī, i, free from self-conceit or pride.
- अनहङ्कृति an-ahaṅkṛti= an-ahaṅkāra; (is, is, i), free from self-conceit or pride.
- अनहन् an-ahana day which is no day, an evil or unlucky day.
- अना anā(inst. of pronom. base a), hereby, thus, indeed; also said to be a substitute for an or…
- अनाकार an-ākārashapeless.
- अनाकारित an-ākāritanot claimed, not exacted.
- अनाकाल an-ākālaunseasonable time; famine.
- अनाकाश an-ākāśahaving no transparent atmosphere, differing from it; opaque, dark; (as, am), m. n. air or…
- अनाकुल an-ākulanot beset; not confused; unperplexed, calm, consistent, regular.
- अनाकृत an-ākṛtaunreclaimed, unreclaimable.
- अनाक्रान्त an-ākrāntaunassailed, unassailable; (ā), f. a plant, Prickly Nightshade, Solanum Jacquini.
- अनाक्षारित an-ākṣāritaunreproached.
- अनाक्षित् an-ākṣitnot residing or resting.
- अनाग an-āgasinless; see an-āgas; (ā), f., name of a river.
- अनागत an-āgatanot come, not arrived; future; not attained, not learnt; unknown; (am), n. the future.
- अनागति an-āgatinon-arrival; non-attainment, nonaccession.
- अनागम an-āgamanon-arrival, non-attainment; (as, ā, am), not come, not present; (in law) not…
- अनागमिष्यत् an-āgamiṣyatone who will not approach.
- अनागम्य an-āgamyaunapproachable, unattainable.
- अनागामिन् an-āgāminnot coming, not arriving; not future, not subject to returning; (ī), m. epithet of the…
- अनागामुक an-āgāmukanot in the habit of coming, not likely to come.
- अनागस् an-āgassinless, blameless; conferring sinlessness or bliss.
- अनाचरण an-ācaraṇaor better an-ācāra, as, m. improper behaviour; departure from that which is customary or…
- अनाचार an-ācāraor anācārin, ī, iṇī, i, improper in behaviour; regardless of custom or propriety or law…
- अनाचार्यभोगीन an-ācārya-bhogīnaunfit or improper for a spiritual teacher to eat or enjoy.
- अनाज्ञप्त an-ājñaptanot commanded.
- अनाज्ञात an-ājñātaunknown, surpassing all that has ever been known.
- अनाढ्य an-āḍhyanot wealthy, poor.
- अनातत an-ātatanot stretched or strung (as a bow).
- अनातप an-ātapafreedom from the blaze of the sun; shade; coolness.
- अनातुर an-āturafree from suffering or weariness; well.
- अनात्मन् an-ātmannot self, another; something different from spirit or soul; (ā, ā, a), not spiritual…
- अनात्मक an-ātmaka(with Buddhists) unreal.
- अनात्मनीन an-ātmanīnanot adapted to self; disinterested.
- अनात्म्य an-ātmyaimpersonal; (am), n. want of affection for one's own family.
- अनात्यन्तिक an-ātyantikanot perpetual, not final; intermittent, recurrent.
- अनाथ a-nāthahaving no master or natural protector; widowed; fatherless; helpless, poor; (am), n…
- अनाद a-nādaabsence of sound (in pronouncing aspirated letters).
- अनादिन् a-nādinnot sounding.
- अनाददान an-ādadānanot accepting.
- अनादर an-ādaradisrespect, contemptuous neglect; (as, ā, am), Vedic not awestruck, calm; indifferent.
- अनादरण an-ādaraṇadisrespectful behaviour, neglect.
- अनादरिन् an-ādarindisrespectful, irreverent.
- अनादि an-ādihaving no beginning, existing from eternity.
- अनादिष्ट an-ādiṣṭanot indicated; not commanded or instructed; not allowed.
- अनादीनव an-ādīnavafaultless.
- अनादृत an-ādṛtanot respected, disrespected, despised.
- अनादृत्य an-ādṛtyawithout respecting, regardless of.
- अनादेय an-ādeyaunfit or improper to be received, unacceptable, inadmissible.
- अनादेशकर anādeśa-karadoing what is not commanded or not allowed.
- अनाद्य1 an-ādyahaving no beginning.
- अनाद्य2 an-ādyanot eatable.
- अनाधृष् an-ādhṛṣnot checking.
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).