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 200 of 554
- जोषा joṣā= yoṣā, a woman.
- जोषिका joṣikā= jālikā, a cluster of young buds, a bud, a germ.
- जोषित् joṣitor joṣitā, f. = yoṣit, a woman.
- जोहूत्र johūtramaking a loud noise, neighing; calling out, challenging to battle, neighing (as a horse).
- जौमर jaumarascil. vyā-karaṇa, the grammar composed by Jumara.
- जौलायनभक्त jaulāyana-bhaktathe district inhabited by the Jaulāyanas.
- जौहोत्यादिक jauhotyādikabelonging to the class of roots beginning with hu, i.e. to the third class.
- ज्ञ1 jñathe knee, in ūrdhva-jña. (For 2. jña see below.)
- ज्ञा1 jñājānāti, jānīte, jajñau, jajñe, jñāsyati, -te, ajñāsīt, ajñāsta, jñātum,, to know, have…
- ज्ञ2 jñawho or what knows, a knower, knowing, familiar with (often in comp., e.g. dharma-jña…
- ज्ञक jñakaor ikā, m. f. a diminutive fr. 2. jña.
- ज्ञपित jñapitamade known, informed, taught, expounded.
- ज्ञप्त jñaptamade known, = jñapita.
- ज्ञप्ति jñaptiunderstanding, apprehension, the exercise of the intellectual faculty; promulgating…
- ज्ञा2 jñā(at the end of a comp.) knowing, familiar with; (ā), f. in epic poetry sometimes a…
- ज्ञात jñātaknown, ascertained, comprehended, perceived, understood; āṃ jñātam, Ah! I know (lit. it…
- ज्ञातक jñātakaknown, etc. See jñāta.
- ज्ञातल jñātalaname of a man.
- ज्ञातलेय jñātaleyaa patronymic from the last.
- ज्ञातव्य jñātavyato be known or understood, to be investigated or inquired after; perceptible…
- ज्ञाति jñātia paternal relation, a kinsman in general, a father, a brother; a distant kinsman, one…
- ज्ञातृ jñātṛknowing, wise, intelligent, a knower; (tā), m. an acquaintance; a bail, a surety;
- ज्ञातेय jñāteyarelationship, affinity.
- ज्ञात्र jñātrathe faculty of perception, intelligence, knowledge.
- ज्ञात्वा jñātvāhaving known, having ascertained, etc.
- ज्ञान jñānaknowing, understanding, becoming acquainted with, knowledge; sacred or religious…
- ज्ञानिक jñānikaat the end of comp. = jñāna.
- ज्ञानिन् jñāninendowed with knowledge or intelligence, intelligent, wise, a knower; (ī), f. an…
- ज्ञानीय jñānīyajñānīyati, -yitum, to wish for knowledge.
- ज्ञापक jñāpakamaking or causing to know, teaching, designing, informing; (as), m. a teacher, an…
- ज्ञापन jñāpanamaking known, announcing, apprizing, informing, teaching, notification.
- ज्ञापनीय jñāpanīyato be made known or announced.
- ज्ञापित jñāpitamade known, informed.
- ज्ञाप्ति jñāptimaking known, apprizing, informing.
- ज्ञाप्य jñāpyato be made known or informed, to be told.
- ज्ञास् jñāsa near relative;
- ज्ञीप्स्यमान jñīpsyamānabeing intended to be informed.
- ज्ञेय jñeyacognizable, to be ascertained or investigated, to be learned or understood, to be…
- ज्ञु jñuthe knee, in abhi-jñu, ūrdhva-jñu, etc.
- ज्मन् jmanonly occurring in the Vedic loc. jman, in (his) course or way; (Sāy.) in the sky; on the…
- ज्मायत् jmāyatmaking a way or course; (Sāy.) going on or reaching the earth.
- ज्या1 jyā4. A. jināti, jīyate, jijyau, jijye, jyāsyati, -te, ajyāsīt, jyātum, to overpower…
- जीत jītaor jīna, as, ā, am, oppressed, overpowered; become old. See also under jīta, p. 348, col…
- ज्य jya(at the end of a comp.) oppressing.
- ज्या2 jyāoverpowering force or strength; excessive demand, importunity.
- ज्यान jyānaoppression, tyrannizing over.
- ज्यानि jyānioppression; deprivation, loss; decay, infirmity, old age; quitting, abandoning; a river…
- ज्यापय jyāpayajyāpayati, -yitum, to make old, to call a person old,
- ज्यायस् jyāyas(considered by grammarians to be a compar. of pra-śasya and vṛddha, for which jya is…
- ज्यायस jyāyasagreater in number (opposed to kānīyasa).
- ज्यायिष्ठ jyāyiṣṭha(irreg. superl.), the most excellent; noblest, first, best.
- ज्येय jyeyato be oppressed, to be deprived of (property etc.); the most excellent, first, best.
- ज्येष्ठ jyeṣṭhathe most excellent, noblest, pre-eminent; first, chief; best, greatest; eldest, very old…
- ज्येष्ठिला jyeṣṭhilāname of a river.
- ज्यैष्ठ jyaiṣṭhaname of a month (May — June), the month in which the full moon stands in the…
- ज्यैष्ठिनेय jyaiṣṭhineyaborn from the elder or principal wife; jyaiṣṭhineyo jyeṣṭhaḥ, the eldest son and at the…
- ज्यैष्ठ्य jyaiṣṭhyapre-eminence, sovereignty; precedence, priority of birth, primogeniture, seniority.
- ज्या3 jyāthe string of a bow, a bow-string; the chord of an arc, a sine in geometry;
- ज्यका jyakāa bow-string; the chord of an arc in geometry.
- ज्याका jyākāa bow-string.
- ज्याय jyāyajyāyate, to represent a bowstring.
- ज्या4 jyāthe earth; a mother.
- ज्यु jyujyavate, etc., to go, approach.
- ज्युत् jyut(for dyut), cl. 1. A. P. jyotate, -ti, to shine: Caus. P. jyotayati, -yitum, to shine…
- ज्युति jyuti(for dyuti), light.
- ज्योता jyotā‘the brilliant or shining one,’ one of the mystical names of the cow.
- ज्योतिष jyotiṣarelating to the heavenly bodies, astronomical, astrological; (as), m. an astronomer…
- ज्योतिषिक jyotiṣikaa wrong form for jyautiṣika, q.v.
- ज्योतिष्क jyotiṣkaa luminary, a heavenly body; the luminaries regarded by the Jainas as a class of deities…
- ज्योतिस् jyotislight in various forms and under various aspects, as the light of the sun, of dawn, of…
- ज्योत्स्ना jyotsnāa moonlight night; moonlight; light, splendor in general; name of one of the bodies of…
- ज्योत्स्निका jyotsnikāname of a plant, = koṣātakī.
- ज्योत्स्नी jyotsnīa moonlight night; a small cucumber, Trichosanthes Diœca; a kind of perfume, = reṇukā; (a…
- ज्यौतिष jyautiṣaname of a Sāman.
- ज्यौतिषिक jyautiṣikaone who knows the Jyotiṣa, an astronomer, astrologer.
- ज्यौत्स्न jyautsnaluminous especially with moonlight; (as), m. the time of moonlight, the light half of a…
- ज्यौत्स्निका jyautsnikāa moonlight night;
- ज्यो jyojyavate, etc., to advise, instruct, order; observe a vow or any religious obligation.
- ज्योक् jyoklong, for a long time, for a long while; jyoktamām, superl. ind. for the longest time…
- ज्योडि jyoḍiin names of plants. Cf. kara-jyoḍi and hasta-j˚.
- ज्योतयमानक jyotayamānakashining (?).
- ज्योतिक jyotikaname of a Nāga;
- ज्योतिस् jyotisetc. See p. 353, col. 2.
- ज्यौ jyauthe planet Jupiter.
- ज्रि1 jrijrayati, etc., to overpower, conquer; to go.
- ज्रय jrayaCf. pṛthu-jraya.
- ज्रयस् jrayasa plain, expanse, space; (Sāy.) speed; splendor; overpowering;
- ज्रयसान jrayasānaspreading, expanding, occupying space; (Sāy.) going.
- ज्रि2 jriin uru-jri, q.v.
- ज्रि3 jrior jrī, cl. 1. 10. 9. P. jrayati, jrāyayati, jriṇāti, etc., to grow old, to be or become…
- ज्वर् jvarjvarati, jajvāra, jvariṣyati, ajvārīt, jvaritum, to be feverish, to be hot with fever or…
- जूर्ण jūrṇaSee rt. 1. jur, p. 349, col. 3.
- ज्वर jvarafever of different kinds (called after the different doṣas or humors of the body which…
- ज्वरित jvaritaor jvarin, ī, iṇī, i, febrile, feverish, affected with fever.
- ज्वार jvāraSee nava-jvāra.
- ज्वल् jval(ep. also A.) jvalati, -te, jajvāla, jvaliṣyati, ajvālīt, jvalitum, to burn brightly…
- ज्वल jvalaflaming, blazing, shining, brilliant; (as), m. flame, blaze, light.
- ज्वलका jvalakāa large flame or blaze.
- ज्वलत् jvalatburning, blazing; shining, radiant, brilliant.
- ज्वलन jvalanainflammable, combustible, flaming, shining; (as), m. fire; a name of the numeral 3…
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).