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 176 of 554
- गुप्तक guptakaa preserver; name of a Sauvīraka prince.
- गुप्ति guptipreserving, protecting, protection; restraint, stoppage, check; concealing, hiding…
- गुप्तिक guptikaname of a man.
- गोपन gopanaguarding, protecting, protection, preservation; hiding, concealment; reviling, abuse…
- गोपनीय gopanīyato be preserved or protected; to be prevented; to be concealed or hidden; secret…
- गोपयत्य gopayatyato be protected.
- गोपायक gopāyakaa preserver, a cherisher, one who guards or protects.
- गोपायन gopāyanapreserving, protecting; (am), n. protecting, preserving, protection.
- गोपायित gopāyitapreserved, protected, cherished.
- गोपायितृ gopāyitṛa preserver, a protector.
- गोपिन् gopina protector, one who preserves or protects; (inī), f., name of a creeping plant…
- गोपिल gopilaone who preserves or protects.
- गोपिष्ठ gopiṣṭhasuperl. of goptṛ.
- गोप्तव्य goptavyato be protected or preserved.
- गोप्तृ goptṛa preserver, a protector, one who defends or cherishes; one who conceals anything.
- गोप्य gopyato be protected or preserved; to be kept, to be taken care of; to be kept secret or…
- गोप्यक gopyakaa slave, a servant.
- गुफ् guphor gumph, cl. 6. P. guphati or gumphati, jugumpha, -phitum, to string together, tie…
- गुम्फ gumphatying, stringing as a garland; a bracelet; a whisker, a mustachio.
- गुम्फन gumphanawinding (a garland etc.).
- गुम्फित gumphitaor guphita, as, ā, am, tied, strung together; arranged, placed in order; also guṣpita.
- गुर् guror gūr, cl. 6. A. gurate, jugure, guritum, to make effort or exertion; cl. 10. A…
- गुरण guraṇaeffort, perseverance, great or continued exertion.
- गुरु guruheavy, weighty (opposed to laghu), heavy in the stomach (as food), difficult to digest…
- गुरुक gurukaa little heavy; (in prosody) long.
- गुर्विणी gurviṇīpregnant, a pregnant woman; name of an irregular species of the Āryā metre.
- गुरुण्टक guruṇṭakaa kind of bird, a sort of peacock. See tila-mayūra.
- गुरुह guruhaname of a people in Madhya-deśa;
- गुर्जर gurjaraname of a district, Gurjara or Guzerat; (ās), m. pl. the people of Guzerat; (ī), f. one…
- गुर्द् gurdq.v.
- गुर्व् gurvgūrvati, jugūrva, etc., to raise; to endeavour, to aim or strive.
- गुल gularaw or unrefined sugar, molasses; the glans penis; the clitoris; (ā), f. the plant…
- गुल्य gulyasweetness, a sweet or saccharine taste.
- गुलञ्चकन्द gulañcakandaan esculent root (Kanda), commonly Kulī;
- गुलह gulahaname of a people in Madhya-deśa;
- गुलिक gulikaname of a hunter; (ā), f. = guṭikā, a ball; a pearl.
- गुलिङ्क guliṅka= kuliṅkaka, a sparrow.
- गुलुच्छ gulucchaor guluñca or guluñcha or guluñchaka, as, m. a bunch, a nosegay, a cluster of blossoms;
- गुलुह guluhaname of a people in Madhya-deśa;
- गुल्गुलु gulgulubdellium;
- गुल्फ gulphathe ancle;
- गुल्म gulmaa cluster or clump of trees, a thicket, a bush, a shrub; a troop or guard of soldiers, a…
- गुल्मक gulmakaname of a son of the Brāhman Soma-śarman.
- गुल्मिन् gulmincomposed of different divisions (a force etc.); growing in a clump or cluster, clustered…
- गुल्य gulyaSee under gula.
- गुवाक guvākathe betel-nut tree, Areca Faufel or Catechu;
- गुष्पित guṣpitainterlaced, intwined, tied together etc.;
- गुह्1 guhgūhati, -te, jugūha, juguhe, gūhiṣyati or ghokṣyati, -te, agūhīt, aghukṣat, agūḍha…
- गुह्2 guha hiding-place.
- गुह guhaa name of Skanda or Kārttikeya, the god of war (as reared in a secret place); an epithet…
- गुहदवद्य guhad-avadyaconcealing or removing deficiencies.
- गुहलु guhaluname of a man.
- गुहा guhāa cave, a cavern, a hiding-place; a pit, a hole in the ground; the plant Hemionitis…
- गुहिन guhinaa wood, a thicket.
- गुहिल guhilawealth, property; a wood (?); (as), m., name of a prince.
- गुहेर guheraa guardian, a protector; a smith.
- गुह्य guhyato be covered or concealed, to be hidden, to be kept hidden or secret, concealable…
- गुह्यक guhyakaa name of a class of demi-gods who like the Yakṣas are attendants of Kuvera or the god of…
- गूढ gūḍha(or Vedic gūḷha), as, ā, am, covered, hidden, concealed, invisible, secret, private…
- गूहन gūhanaconcealing, hiding.
- गूहमान gūhamānahiding, concealing.
- गूहयित्वा gūhayitvāhaving concealed, having hidden or disguised.
- गूहितव्य gūhitavyato be hidden or concealed, to be kept secret.
- गुहेर guheraSee under rt. 1. guh last col.
- गू1 gūguvati, to void by stool; (another form for 4. gu.)
- गूथ gūthafeces, ordure.
- गून gūnavoided (as ordure).
- गू2 gūgoing, (in agre-gū, q.v.)
- गूढ gūḍhaSee under rt. 1. guh last col.
- गूर् gūrq.v.
- गूरण gūraṇa= guraṇa, q.v.
- गूर्ण gūrṇaor gūrta, as, ā, am, Vedic approved, welcome, agreeable, thankful.
- गूर्ति gūrtiapproval, praise, a flattering expression.
- गूर्द् gūrdor gurd, cl. 1. A. gūrdate or gurdate, jugūrde, gūrditum, to play, sport; to jump, leap…
- गूर्द gūrdaa jump; Prajāpater gūrdaḥ or Prajāpateḥ kūrdaḥ, name of a Sāman.
- गूर्ध् gūrdhgūrdhayati, yitum, to praise.
- गूवाक gūvāka= guvāka, the betelnut tree.
- गूषणा gūṣaṇāthe eye in a peacock's tail.
- गूहन gūhanaetc. See under rt. guh.
- गृ gṛgarati, jagāra, gariṣyati, agārṣīt, gartum, to sprinkle, moisten, wet; to grant: Caus…
- गृज् gṛjor gṛñj, cl. 1. P. garjati, jagarja, garjitum or gṛñjati, jagṛñja, gṛñjitum, to sound…
- गृञ्ज gṛñjaname of a plant, = gṛñjana (?).
- गृञ्जन gṛñjanagarlic, or a small red variety of it; a turnip; the tops of hemp chewed to produce an…
- गृञ्जनक gṛñjanakaa kind of garlic.
- गृञ्जिम gṛñjimaname of a son of Śūra and brother of Vasu-deva.
- गृणत् gṛṇatSee 1. gṝ, p. 296.
- गृण्डिव gṛṇḍivaor gṛṇḍīva, as, m. a kind of jackal.
- गृत्स gṛtsaclever, dexterous; judicious, wise; a sharp fellow, a sharper; (as), m. the god of love…
- गृध् gṛdhgṛdhyati, jagardha, gardhiṣyati, agṛdhat, gardhitum, to endeavour to gain; to covet…
- गृद्ध gṛddhadesirous of, eagerly longing for;
- गृधु gṛdhudesirous, Justful, libidinous; (us), m. the deity Kāma, god of love.
- गृध्न gṛdhna(? a wrong form for gṛdhnu), desirous (?).
- गृध्नु gṛdhnueager; greedily desirous of, greedy, covetous, cupidinous;
- गृध्य gṛdhyato be desired or longed for; (ā), f. desire, greediness.
- गृध्र gṛdhradesiring greedily or fervently; eager for, desirous, greedy, covetous; (as, am), m. n. a…
- गृध्राण gṛdhrāṇasimilar to a vulture in greediness; (ī), f., name of a plant, = gṛdhra-pattrā.
- गृध्रिका gṛdhrikāthe mother of the vultures, a daughter of Kaśyapa and Tāmrā.
- गृधू gṛdhūair voided downwards; understanding, intellect, reason; bad, wicked (?).
- गृध्रसी gṛdhrasīlumbago; rheumatism affecting the loins.
- गृभ् gṛbhgrasping, seizing, grasp, hold.
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).