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 18 of 554
- अनाधृष्ट an-ādhṛṣṭaunchecked, unimpaired, invincible, perfect.
- अनाधृष्टि an-ādhṛṣṭi(‘superior to any check’), name of a son of Śūra; also of a son of Ugraseana and general…
- अनाधृष्य an-ādhṛṣyainvincible, not to be meddled with.
- अनानत an-ānataunbent, not humbled; (as), m., name of a Ṛṣi.
- अनानुकृत्य an-ānukṛtyainimitable, unparalleled.
- अनानुद an-ānudanot giving way, unyielding, obstinate; unaided (?), unsurpassed in giving (?).
- अनानुदिष्ट an-ānudiṣṭaunsolicited.
- अनानुपूर्व्य an-ānupūrvyaseparation of the different parts of a compound word by the intervention of others; the…
- अनानुभूति an-ānubhūtiinattention, neglect; (tayas), pl. neglectful or irreligious people.
- अनापद् an-āpadabsence of misfortune or calamity.
- अनापन्न an-āpannanot realized, unattained.
- अनापान an-āpānaname of a prince, son of Aṅga.
- अनापि an-āpihaving no kindred or friends (epithet of Indra).
- अनापूयित an-āpūyitanot stinking.
- अनाप्त an-āptaunattained, unobtained; unsuccessful in the effort to attain or obtain; not apt, unfit…
- अनाप्ति an-āptinon-attainment.
- अनाप्य an-āpyaunattainable, unobtainable.
- अनाप्लुत an-āplutaunbathed, unwashed.
- अनाबाध an-ābādhafree from obstacles or troubles.
- अनाभयिन् an-ābhayinfearless (epithet of Indra).
- अनाभू an-ābhūneglectful, disobliging, irreligious.
- अनाभ्युदयिक an-ābhyudayikainauspicious, ill-omened, unlucky.
- अनामन् a-nāmannameless; infamous; (ā), m. the ring-finger.
- अनामक a-nāmakanameless, infamous; (as), m. the intercalary month; (am), n. piles, hæmorrhoids.
- अनामिका a-nāmikāthe ring-finger.
- अनामय an-āmayafree from disease, healthy, salubrious; (as), m. Śiva; (am), n. health.
- अनामयत् an-āmayatnot causing pain, not hurting; (t), n., Vedic health.
- अनामयित्नु an-āmayitnusalubrious, curative.
- अनामिन् a-nāminunbending.
- अनाम्य a-nāmyaimpossible to be bent.
- अनामिष an-āmiṣawithout flesh; bootless, profitless.
- अनामृण an-āmṛṇahaving no enemy that can injure.
- अनामृत an-āmṛtaimmortal.
- अनायक a-nāyakahaving no leader or ruler, disorderly.
- अनायत an-āyataunchecked, unrestrained; not propped or supported; close, continuous, unseparated…
- अनायतन an-āyatanathat which is not really a resting-place or an altar; (as, ā, am), having no…
- अनायत्त an-āyattaindependent, uncontrolled.
- अनायसाग्र an-āyasāgrahaving no iron point.
- अनायास an-āyāsaabsence of exertion, facility, ease, idleness, neglect; (as, ā, am), easy, ready; (ena)…
- अनायुध an-āyudhaweaponless; having no implements (for sacrifice).
- अनायुषा an-āyuṣāor an-āyus, f., name of the mother of Bala and Vṛtra.
- अनायुष्य an-āyuṣyanot imparting long life, fatal to long life.
- अनारत an-ārataeternal; (am), ind. eternally.
- अनारभ्य1 an-ārabhyaimproper or impracticable to be commenced or undertaken.
- अनारभ्य2 an-ārabhyawithout commencing: this is used in compounds in the sense ‘detached;’ thus…
- अनारम्भ an-ārambhaabsence of beginning, noncommencement, not attempting or undertaking; (as, ā, am), having…
- अनारम्बण an-ārambaṇa(for anālambana) having no support.
- अनारम्भण an-ārambhaṇawithout support (?), or intangible (?).
- अनारुह्य an-āruhyanot having surmounted.
- अनारोग्य an-ārogyasickness; (as, ā, am), unhealthy.
- अनार्जव an-ārjavacrookedness, moral or physical; disease.
- अनार्तव an-ārtavaunseasonable.
- अनार्त्विजीन an-ārtvijīnaunfit or unsuitable for a priest.
- अनार्य an-āryanot respectable, vulgar, unworthy, inferior, bad, vile; destitute of Āryas; (as), m. not…
- अनार्यक an-āryakaAgallochum or Aloe wood (Aquila Agallocha Rox).
- अनार्ष an-ārṣanot referring or belonging to a Ṛṣi or to the genuine text of a Vedic hymn; e.g. the word…
- अनार्षेय an-ārṣeyathe same as the last.
- अनालम्ब an-ālambaunsupported, without stay or support; (as), m. want of support; despondency.
- अनालम्बन an-ālambanaunsupported; desponding.
- अनालम्बी an-ālambīŚiva's lute.
- अनालम्बुका an-ālambukāor an-ālambhukā, f. a woman during menstruation.
- अनालाप an-ālāpareserved, taciturn; (as), m. reserve, taciturnity.
- अनालोचित an-ālocitaunseen, unbeheld; unweighed, unconsidered, rash, imprudent.
- अनालोच्य an-ālocyanot having considered.
- अनावया an-āvayāunyielding, not desisting.
- अनावर्ति an-āvartinon-return, i.e. final emancipation. See an-āvṛt below.
- अनाविद्ध an-āviddhanot wounded, unhurt, unmoved by.
- अनाविल an-āvilanot turbid, clear, pure, not marshy.
- अनावृत् an-āvṛtnot returning.
- अनावृत्त an-āvṛttanot turned about or round; not retreating; not frequented or approached; not chosen.
- अनावृत्ति an-āvṛttinon-return; final emancipation.
- अनावृत an-āvṛtauncovered, undressed, uninclosed, open.
- अनावृष्टि an-āvṛṣṭiwant of rain, drought.
- अनावेदित an-āveditanot notified, not made known.
- अनाव्याध an-āvyādhaimpossible to be broken or forced open.
- अनाव्रस्क an-āvraskauninjured condition; (as, ā, am), not injurious.
- अनाश1 an-āśahopeless, despairing.
- अनाश2 a-nāśaundestroyed, living.
- अनाशिन् a-nāśinimperishable.
- अनाश्य a-nāśyaindestructible.
- अनाशक an-āśakafasting, abstaining from food even to death.
- अनाशस्त an-āśastanot praised; not commendable (?), inglorious (?), hopeless (?).
- अनाशीर्दा an-āśīr-dānot giving a blessing; ungrateful.
- अनाशु1 an-āśunot quick, slow.
- अनाशु2 an-āśunot diffusive, not pervading.
- अनाशु3 a-nāśuindestructible.
- अनाश्चर्य an-āścaryanot wonderful.
- अनाश्रमिन् an-āśraminone who does not belong to or follow any of the four Āśramas or religious orders to which…
- अनाश्रमवास an-āśrama-vāsaor an-āśrame-vāsa, as, m. one who does not belong to the Āśramas; non-residence in a…
- अनाश्रय an-āśrayaabsence or want of any person or thing to depend upon; defencelessness, self-dependence…
- अनाश्रित an-āśritadetached; disengaged; unconnected with, independent; non-inherent.
- अनाश्वस् an-āśvasnot having eaten, fasting.
- अनाष्ट्र a-nāṣṭrafree from dangers or dangerous opponents.
- अनास् an-āshaving no mouth or face.
- अनास a-nāsawithout a nose (epithet of demons).
- अनासिक a-nāsikanoseless.
- अनासादित an-āsāditanot met with, not found or obtained, not encountered or attacked; not occurred; not…
- अनास्था an-āsthāunfixedness, want of confidence; disrespect; want of consideration; want of faith or…
- अनास्थान an-āsthānahaving or yielding no basis or fulcrum; without a fixed seat or site.
- अनास्वाद an-āsvādawant of taste, insipidity; (as, ā, am), without taste, insipid.
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).