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.
Search in IAST (ātman), plain letters (atman), Devanagari (आत्मन्) or English (fire). Pronunciation key · English index · Random entry
Jump to letter
All words A–Z
55,387 headwords · page 223 of 554
- दारुणक dāruṇaka‘harshness,’ name of a particular disease affecting the roots of the hair.
- दारुणाय dāruṇāyadāruṇāyate, etc., to act harshly or cruelly, to be unmerciful.
- दारुण्य dāruṇyaharshness (as of a sound etc.); cruelty, dreadfulness, direness, severity, etc.
- दार्व dārvawooden, made of wood; (ās), m. pl., name of a people to the north-east of Madhyadeśa…
- दार्वक dārvakarelating to or coming from Dārva.
- दार्विका dārvikāa sort of collyrium prepared from an infusion of Curcuma Aromatica; name of a plant, =…
- दारक dārakaetc. See p. 409, col. 3.
- दारद dāradacoming from the country of the Darads, (a various reading has darada); (ās), m. pl., name…
- दारबलिभुज् dāra-bali-bhujincorrect form for dvāra-bali-bhuj, q.v.
- दारित dāritaetc. See col. 1.
- दारिद्र dāridrapoverty, indigence,
- दारिद्र्य dāridryapoverty, indigence.
- दारु dāruSee col. 1. and p. 408, col. 1.
- दारुण dāruṇaSee col. 1.
- दारोदर dārodaraconnected with gambling.
- दार्घसत्त्र dārghasattraconnected with a long continued sacrifice, performing such a sacrifice.
- दार्ढच्युत dārḍhacyutaa patronymic, (also read dauryācyuta); (am), n., name of a Sāman.
- दार्ढ्य dārḍhyahardness, fixedness, tightness, stability; strength, energy; confirmation, corroboration.
- दार्तेय dārteyaleathern, made of leather; (as), m. a patronymic from Dṛti, q.v.
- दार्दुर dārdurarelating to a cloud, frog, etc.; (am), n. a conch-shell or muscle, the valve of which…
- दार्दुरिक dārdurikabelonging to a frog, etc.
- दार्भ dārbhamade of Darbha grass.
- दार्भायण dārbhāyaṇaa patronymic from Darbha; (see Pāṇ. IV. 1, 102.)
- दार्भि dārbhia patronymic from Darbha; (see Pāṇ. IV. 1, 102.)
- दार्भ्य dārbhyaa patronymic from Darbha, applied to Śyāvāśva;
- दार्व dārvaSee above.
- दार्वट dārvaṭaa court or council-house;
- दार्वण्ड dārvaṇḍaa peacock.
- दार्वन् dārvanname of a son of Uśīnara;
- दार्वाघाट dārv-āghāṭaSee 2. dāru, col. 1.
- दार्वीहौमिक dārvīhaumikarelating to an oblation made with a ladle.
- दार्श dārśarelating to the new moon or the new moon sacrifice; (as), m., scil. yajña, the new moon…
- दार्शनिक dārśanikaseeing far; familiar with the Darśanas or philosophical systems.
- दार्शपौर्णमासिक dārśapaurṇamāsikabelonging to the Darśa-pūrṇa-māsa sacrifice.
- दार्शिक dārśikaor dārśya, as, ā, am, relating to the new moon or the new moon sacrifice.
- दार्षद dārṣadaground on a flat stone (as meal etc.); stony, of stone, mineral.
- दार्षद्वत dārṣadvataname of a Sattra.
- दार्ष्टान्त dārṣṭāntaexplained by an example or simile or case in point; illustrated by metaphor or figure.
- दार्ष्टान्तिक dārṣṭāntikaexplained by an illustration or simile; illustrated, any thing which is the subject of an…
- दाल dālaa sort of wild or unprepared honey, (according to some produced by a peculiar kind of…
- दालकि dālakiname of a pupil of Śaka-pūrṇi.
- दालन dālanacrumbling or decay (of the teeth), tooth-ache.
- दालभ्य dālabhyaa wrong form for Dālbhya, q.v.
- दालव dālavaa sort of poison.
- दालिका dālikā= dālā, deva-dālikā, colocynth.
- दालिम dālimathe pomegranate;
- दाल्भ dālbharelating to or coming from Dālbhya.
- दाल्भि dālbhia patronymic of Vaka.
- दाल्भ्य dālbhyaa patronymic of Keśin; of Caikitāyana; name of a grammarian.
- दाल्भ्यक dālbhyakaname of an ancient sage.
- दाल्मायणि dālmāyaṇiprobably a wrong form for dālbhāyani or dārbhāyaṇi.
- दाल्मि dālminame of Indra;
- दाव dāvaa forest conflagration, a forest on fire; fire in general, heat; a forest;
- दाविक dāvikaetc., coming from the river Devikā; (Pāṇ. VII. 3, 1.)
- दाविककूल dāvikakūlasee Pāṇ. VII. 3, 1.
- दाश्1 dāś(apparently occurring only in Ṛg-veda), cl. 1. P. A. dāśati, -te, (rarely cl. 2. 5. P.)…
- दाश्2 dāśworshipping, making oblations (?);
- दाश dāśapresenting oblations, honouring the gods with offerings; a fisherman, ferryman, boatman…
- दाशक dāśakaa fisherman, (occurring only in dāśaka-putra.)
- दाशु dāśugiving, etc.; see a-d˚.
- दाशुरि dāśurimaking oblations or offerings.
- दाशेय dāśeyaor dāseya, as, m., the son of a fisherman's wife; (ī), f. ‘the daughter of a fisherman's…
- दाशेर dāśeraa fisherman; a camel.
- दाशेरक dāśerakaa fisherman; (ās), m. pl., name of a people, = maru-bhū;
- दाश्व dāśvaliberal, giving, a giver, donor.
- दाश्वस् dāśvas(rarely dāśivas), vān, uṣī, vas, Vedic honouring or serving the gods with offerings…
- दाशत् dāśatwrong form for daśat.
- दाशतय dāśatayabelonging to the Ṛg-veda which consists of ten divisions or Maṇḍalas.
- दाशपुर dāśapuracoming from Daśa-pura; (am), n. a fragrant grass related to the Cyperus Rotundus; (also…
- दाशफली dāśaphalīname of a plant.
- दाशरथ dāśarathabelonging to Daśa-ratha, coming from Daśa-ratha, a descendant of Daśa-ratha; (as), m. a…
- दाशरथि dāśarathi‘descendant of Daśa-ratha,’ a patronymic of Rāma; of Lakṣmaṇa, the younger brother of…
- दाशराज्ञ dāśarājña‘the fight with ten kings,’ a famous battle fought by Su-dās.
- दाशरूप्य dāśarūpyaname of a Grāma.
- दाशवाज dāśavājain kautsaṃ dāśavājam, name of a Sāman;
- दाशशिरस् dāśaśirasname of a Sāman.
- दाशार्ण dāśārṇacontaining the word Daśārṇa, treating of it (as an anu-vāka or adhyāya); (as), m. a…
- दाशार्णक dāśārṇakacoming from or relating to or belonging to the Daśārṇas.
- दाशार्ह dāśārhacontaining the word Daśārha, treating of it (as an adhyāya or anu-vāka); belonging to…
- दाशार्हक dāśārhaka= daśārhās above.
- दाशाश्वमेध dāśāśvamedhaten horse-sacrifices.
- दाशौदनिक dāśaudanikaname of a particular sacrificial rite; (ī), f. the offering made to the priests at this…
- दाशमेय dāśameyaSee dāsameya.
- दाशर्म dāśarmaname of a man.
- दाशस्पत्य dāśaspatyaname of a Sāman,
- दाशिवस् dāśivasSee col. 1.
- दाशुर dāśuraor dāśūra, as, m., name of a man.
- दाशेय dāśeyaSee col. 1.
- दास् dāsdāsati, -te, dadāsa, -se, dāsitā, etc., to give; cl. 5. P. dāsnoti, etc., Vedic to hurt…
- दास1 dāsaa general N. applied in the Veda to certain evil beings or demons, hostile to the human…
- दासक dāsakaname of a man; of a son of Bhajamāna.
- दासकायन dāsakāyanaa patronymic from Dāsaka.
- दासनु dāsanuname of a semi-divine being associated with Kṛśānu.
- दासाय dāsāyadāsāyati, -te, etc., to become a slave.
- दासायन dāsāyanathe son of a slave or of a man called Dāsa.
- दासिका dāsikāa female slave or servant.
- दासी dāsīSee under 1. dāsa, col. 2.
- दासीक dāsīkafor dāsī, at the end of comp. (e.g. triṃśad-dāsīka, having thirty female slaves).
- दासेय1 dāseyathe son of a female slave, a slave, servant, = dāśeya, q.v.; (as, ī, am), born of a slave.
- दासेर dāserathe son of a female slave, a slave, servant, = dāśera, q.v.
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).