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 225 of 554
- दिष्ट diṣṭashown, pointed out, appointed, assigned (e.g. diṣṭā gatis, ‘the assigned way,’ i.e…
- दिष्टि diṣṭipointing out, assigning, allotting, prescribing, assignment, direction, injunction…
- दिष्णु diṣṇugiving, one who gives, a giver, donor.
- दिह्1 dihdegdhi, digdhe, dideha, didihe, dhekṣyati, -te, adhikṣat, adhikṣata, adigdha, degdhum, to…
- दिह्2 dihsmearing, anointing, soiling, pollution.
- दिह्ला dihlāname of a woman;
- दी1 dīdīyati, etc., Vedic to poise one's self in the air, soar, fly, (also used of the motions…
- दी2 dī3rd pl. dīdyati, adīdet, 2nd impv. dīdihi or didīhi, dīdiyus, dīdāya, dīdayati, dīdayat…
- दीति dītisplendor, brightness;
- दीदि dīdior dīdī, īs, īs, i, shining.
- दीदिति dīditisplendor, brightness;
- दीदिवि dīdivishining; risen, ascended (as a star); (is), m. epithet of Agni; of Bṛhas-pati, the planet…
- दी3 dīdīyate, didīye, dāsyate, adāsta, dātum, to decay, waste away, be ruined; to waste…
- दी4 dīdecay, ruin, wasting, destruction.
- दीन dīnascarce, scanty (Vedic); poor, indigent, needy, afflicted, distressed, ruined, miserable…
- दीनक dīnakawretched, distressed; (am), ind. in a wretched manner, miserably.
- दीक्ष् dīkṣdīkṣate, didīkṣe, dīkṣiṣyate, dīkṣitum, to prepare or consecrate one's self for the…
- दीक्षक dīkṣakaa priest, a spiritual guide.
- दीक्षण dīkṣaṇapreparing or consecrating one's self, consecration; initiating; causing one's self to be…
- दीक्षणीय dīkṣaṇīyato be consecrated or initiated; relating or belonging to Dīkṣaṇa or initiation, etc…
- दीक्षयितृ dīkṣayitṛconsecrating, a consecrator, one who initiates.
- दीक्षा dīkṣāpreparation or consecration for a religious ceremony; a ceremony preliminary to a…
- दीक्षित dīkṣitainitiated, consecrated; prepared for a sacrifice; one who has received initiation or by…
- दीक्षितायनी dīkṣitāyanīname of the wife of Dīkṣita Yajña-datta.
- दीक्षितृ dīkṣitṛa consecrator, a spiritual father, one who initiates, the communicator of the initiatory…
- दीक्षिन् dīkṣin(at the end of a comp.) being initiated, one who has been initiated;
- दीदी dīdīor dīdi. See rt. 2. dī, p. 415.
- दीधी1 dīdhīdīdhīte (3rd pl. dīdhyate), etc., Caus. dīdhayati, etc., to shine, to be bright, to seem…
- दीधिति1 dīdhitibrightness, splendor, light; a ray; a finger,; name of a commentary on the…
- दीध्यान dīdhyānashining, brilliant.
- दीधी2 dīdhīdīdhīte, etc., to perceive, think, reflect upon, be intent upon; wish, desire.
- दीधिति2 dīdhitireligious reflection, devotion; divine inspiration; prayer; religious rites; (Sāy.) a…
- दीन dīnaSee p. 415, col. 3.
- दीनार dīnāraa coin, a gold coin; a weight of gold (variously stated as 2 Kāṣṭhas, 1 Pala of 32 Rettis…
- दीप् dīp(ep. also P.) dīpyate, -ti, didīpe, dīpiṣyate, adīpi or adīpiṣṭa, dīpitum, to blaze, burn…
- दीप dīpaa light, lamp, lantern;
- दीपक dīpakaor ikā, am, kindling, inflaming; illuminating, making bright or luminous, illustrating…
- दीपन dīpanakindling, inflaming, setting on fire, burning, causing light or heat; digestive, tonic…
- दीपनीय dīpanīyato be lighted or set on fire; inflammable; to be excited or stimulated; relating to tonic…
- दीपयत् dīpayatsetting on fire, inflaming; illuminating.
- दीपित dīpitaset on fire, inflamed; excited; illuminated, irradiated; manifested.
- दीपितृ dīpitṛan illuminator, enlightener; irradiating, shining.
- दीपिन् dīpinkindling, setting on fire, inflaming; illuminating, shining.
- दीप्त dīptablazing, flaming, being in flames, flashing, radiant, illuminated, luminous, bright…
- दीप्तक dīptakaa kind of disease of the nose; (am), n. gold.
- दीप्ति dīptibrightness, brilliancy, splendor, light, glow, lustre; clearness, brilliancy of beauty…
- दीप्तिक dīptikaa species of plant;
- दीप्य dīpyato be kindled or inflamed, inflammable; to be stimulated; promoting digestion, digestive…
- दीप्यक dīpyaka(?), name of several plants, cumin, Ptychotis Ajowan, Celosia Cristata, Apium…
- दीप्यमान dīpyamānashining, blazing, glowing, radiant.
- दीप्र dīprashining, brilliant, radiant, luminous, irradiating; (as), m. fire.
- दीर्घ dīrghalong (as space or time), reaching far, lasting long; long (as the quantity of a vowel)…
- दीर्घिका dīrghikāa long or oblong lake or pond;
- दीर्ण dīrṇatorn, rent, sundered; frightened, afraid.
- दीव् dīvetc. See under rt. 2. div at p. 414, col. 2.
- दु1 dudavati, dudāva (2nd sing. dudavitha, 1st du. duduviva), dotā, doṣyati, adāvīt, adauṣīt…
- दूत dūtaSee p. 426, col. 2.
- दून1 dūnagone; going, moving.
- दु2 du(also written dū, see 1. dū), cl. 5. P. 4. A. dunoti, dūyate (ep. also dūyati), dudāva…
- दुत् dutpain, anxiety, uneasiness.
- दुत duta(?), pained, afflicted.
- दुन्वत् dunvatafflicting, causing pain or sorrow, injuring.
- दून2 dūnaSee under 1. dū, p. 426, col. 1.
- दुः duḥeuphonically substituted for dus in duḥkha (see the next) and in comps. like duḥ-prajña…
- दुःख duḥkhauneasiness, unhappiness, pain, sorrow, affliction, distress, misery, anguish, agony…
- दुःखय duḥkhayaduḥkhayati, -yitum, to pain, cause pain, afflict, distress;
- दुःखाय duḥkhāyaduḥkhāyate, etc., to feel pain, be distressed.
- दुःखित duḥkhitapained, suffering pain, distressed, afflicted, unhappy, poor, indigent; (am), n. pain…
- दुःखिन् duḥkhinhaving pain, pained, sorrowing, afflicted, grieved; difficult, painful.
- दुःखीय duḥkhīyaduḥkhīyati, etc., to feel pain, be distressed.
- दुःख्य duḥkhyaduḥkhyati, etc., to cause pain.
- दुःप duḥpaetc. See the comp. under dus at p. 424.
- दुःफालिकुत्थ duḥphālikutthaname of the twelfth Yoga (in astrology).
- दुःश duḥśaSee the comp. under dus at p. 424.
- दुःसाधिन् duḥ-sādhinSee 1. dur, col. 3.
- दुकूल dukūlaa species of plant; (am), n. woven silk, very fine cloth or raiment made of the inner…
- दुग्ध dugdhamilked; milked out, extracted, sucked out so as to be impoverished; milked together…
- दुग्धिका dugdhikāa sort of Asclepias, A. Rosea, = kṣīrāvī, = uttamā; (the Hindī derivative Dūdhi is also…
- दुग्धिन् dugdhinhaving milk, milky, milch.
- दुग्धिनिका dugdhinikāa species of plant, = raktāpāmārga or a red kind of Achyranthes Aspera.
- दुग्ध्वा dugdhvāhaving milked; having pressed or squeezed out.
- दुघ dugha(at the end of a comp.) milking; yielding, granting; (ā), f. a milch-cow;
- दुच्छक ducchakaa kind of perfume, = gandha-kuṭī, = vihārādyavakāśaka (?).
- दुच्छुना ducchunāmisfortune, calamity; injury, evil, often personified as a malicious being or evil spirit;
- दुच्छुनाय ducchunāyaducchunāyate, etc., Vedic to wish to injure or hurt, to be evil disposed.
- दुडि duḍi= duli, a small tortoise; a female tortoise.
- दुण्डुक duṇḍukafraudulent, dishonest, bad-hearted.
- दुण्डुभ duṇḍubhaa kind of lizard without feet; a kind of snake described as not venomous, = rājila;
- दुण्डुभि duṇḍubhia species of venomous animal; a kind of snake;
- दुत्थोत्थदवीर dutthotthadavīra(in astrology) name of the thirteenth Yoga.
- दुद dudaname of a mountain.
- दुदुह duduhaname of a prince, father of Pra-cetas.
- दुद्द dud-daSee dut, rt. 2. du, p. 418.
- दुद्यूषु dudyūṣuwishing to play, wishing to brandish.
- दुद्रुम dudrumaa green onion;
- दुधि dudhiviolent, impetuous, injurious;
- दुधित dudhitatroubled, perplexed, turbid.
- दुधूषत् dudhūṣattrying, wishing or endeavouring to shake.
- दुध्र dudhra= dudhi, powerful, violent, impetuous, terrible; (Sāy.) restraining wicked enemies.
- दुधुक्षु dudhukṣuwishing or intending to milk.
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).