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 226 of 554
- दुन्दम dundamaa sort of drum, = dundubhi below.
- दुन्दु dundu(an onomatopoetic word), a sort of drum; an epithet of Vasu-deva who was the father of…
- दुन्दुभ dundubhaa species of watersnake described as not venomous; an epithet of Śiva; (ās), m. pl., name…
- दुन्दुभि dundubhia sort of large kettle-drum; a sort of poison; name of the fifty-sixth year in the…
- दुन्दुभिक dundubhikaa kind of venomous insect.
- दुन्दुभ्य dundubhyaonly in the comp. cakra-dundubhya (scil. mantra), Vedic ‘relating to Cakra and Dundubhi.’
- दुन्दुमा dundumā(an onomatopoetic word), a particular sound, sound in general.
- दुन्दुमाय dundumāyadundumāyate, -yitum, to sound.
- दुन्दुमायित dundumāyitasounded; (am), n. a particular sound, sound.
- दुन्दुमार dundumāraa sort of red worm; the smoke of a house; a cat, = dhundhu-māra.
- दुन्वत् dunvatSee rt. 2. du, p. 418, col. 2.
- दुफार duphāraname of a place mentioned in the Romaka-siddhānta.
- दुमेल dumelaa particular high number.
- दुम्मदुमाक dummadumākaname of a Grāma.
- दुर्1 dur(occurring only in nom. and acc. pl. duras), = dvār, a door; (at the end of a comp. the…
- दुर्2 dura prefix substituted for dus, q.v., at the beginning of a compound before vowels and soft…
- दुरस्य durasyadurasyati, etc., Vedic to wish to hurt, desire to injure.
- दुरस्यु durasyuwishing to do harm, desirous of inflicting injury.
- दुर1 duraa giver, granter;
- दुर2 dura= 1. dur (occurring only in śata-dura, q.v.).
- दुरोण duroṇaresidence, dwelling, home.
- दुरोणायु duroṇāyufond of the house; (Sāy.) frequenting the sacrificial hall.
- दुर्य duryabelonging to the door or house; (ās), m. or f. pl. a residence;
- दुर्योण duryoṇaa residence, dwelling-place, = duroṇa (?); Sāy. = saṅgrāma, battle, or (dus + yoni) =…
- दुराक durākaname of a barbarous tribe.
- दुरु duruname of a mountain.
- दुरुःफ duruḥpha(in astrology) name of the fifteenth Yoga; (also read durapha and durupha.)
- दुरुधरा durudharāa peculiar position of the moon.
- दुरोदर durodaraone who plays at dice, a gamester; a dice-box; a stake; (am), n. (according to a…
- दुर्दर durdaratearing; distressing; a kind of drug, = ṛṣabha;
- दुर्ग dur-gaetc. See p. 420, col. 3.
- दुर्गि durgiq.v.
- दुर्दुरूट durdurūṭaor durduruṭa, as, m., an expression of reproach; an atheist, = karaṭa.
- दुर्धुरूट durdhurūṭaor durdhuruṭa, as, m. a pupil who does not obey his teacher without exercising his own…
- दुर्द्रिता durdritāa kind of creeping plant.
- दुर्व् durvdūrvati, etc., to hurt, injure, kill;
- दुर्वारि durvāriname of a tribe of the Kāmbojas.
- दुर्वासस् dur-vāsasSee col. 1.
- दुल् duldolayati, etc., to swing, heave upwards, raise, throw up, whirl, shake to and fro, cause…
- दुला dulā‘shaking,’ name of an Iṣṭakā or sacrificial brick.
- दुलयते dul-ayateSee dur-i, p. 420, col. 2.
- दुलि duliname of a Muni or saint; (is, ī), f. a small or female tortoise;
- दुलिदुह duliduhaname of a prince; of a son of An-amitra and father of Dilīpa.
- दुवन्य duvanyaworshipping.
- दुवस् duvasworship, honour, reverence; (Sāy.) wealth; (ās, ās, as), active, moving restlessly.
- दुवसन duvasanaactive, moving; (Sāy.) adorable, worthy of worship.
- दुवस्य1 duvasyaduvasyati, etc., Vedic to honour, worship, celebrate, acknowledge, reward; to present…
- दुवस्य2 duvasya(according to Sāy.) worthy of worship or honour.
- दुवस्यु duvasyuhonouring, worshipping, respectful.
- दुवोया duvoyāworship; (only occurring in inst. duvoyā, in worship.)
- दुवोयु duvoyuhonouring, worshipping; (u), ind. reverently; out of acknowledgment.
- दुश् duśeuphonically substituted for dus in comp. like duś-cakṣas. See bottom of col. 3.
- दुश्चिक्य duścikya(in astrology) name of the third lunar mansion.
- दुष्1 duṣeuphonically substituted for dus in duṣ-kara etc. See p. 425, col. 1.
- दुष्2 duṣ(ep. also A.) duṣ-yati, -te, dudoṣa, dokṣyati, aduṣat (according to Vopa-deva also…
- दुष्ट duṣṭabecome bad, spoiled, corrupted, reduced to a bad state, injured, damaged, ruined…
- दुष्टि duṣṭicorruption, corruptness, depravity.
- दुष्टीय duṣṭīyaduṣṭīyati, etc., to become bad or corrupted (?).
- दुष्ट duṣṭaSee col. 1.
- दुष्ठु duṣṭhuSee p. 425, col. 2.
- दुष्यन्त duṣyantaSee p. 425, col. 3.
- दुस् dusa particle and prefix to nouns and rarely to verbs, implying evil, bad, badly, wicked…
- दुस्सथ dussathaa cock; a dog;
- दुस्सनि dussaniname of a man.
- दुह्1 duhdohati, dudoha, aduhat, and adohīt, to hurt, pain, give pain, distress, torment.
- दुह्2 duhdogdhi, dugdhe (2nd sing. dhokṣi, dhukṣe); Impf. P. adhok (1st du. aduhva); Impv. P…
- दुह्3 duh(at the end of a comp.) milking, yielding milk; yielding, granting (e.g. kāma-d˚, go-d˚…
- दुह duha(at the end of a comp.) milking; yielding, granting.
- दुहत् duhatmilking; yielding, granting, parting with.
- दुहितृ duhitṛa daughter (either as drawing milk from the mother or as milking the cows, ‘the milk-maid…
- दुह्य duhyato be milked, milkable.
- दुह्यु duhyua wrong form for druhyu.
- दू1 dūgenerally written du. See 2. du, p. 418, col. 2.
- दू dūburning with eagerness (?) in a-dū; (ūs), f. pain, distress.
- दूतक1 dūtakaa name of Agni in the form of a forest conflagration;
- दून2 dūnaburnt, inflamed; pained, afflicted, distressed, fatigued; agitated.
- दू2 dūat the beginning of some comps. = dur for dus, as in the following examples.
- दूत dūtaa messenger, carrier of intelligence, envoy, ambassador, go-between, negotiator, cf…
- दूतक2 dūtakaa messenger, ambassador; (ikā), f. a female messenger, go-between, etc.; a gadding…
- दूतीका dūtīkā= dūtikā under 2. dūtaka above.
- दूत्य dūtyathe rank or employment or office of an ambassador; an embassy, a message;
- दून dūnaSee col. 1. and rt. 1. du at p. 418.
- दूप्र dūprastrong.
- दूर् dūrname of the Prāṇa or vital breath regarded as a deity.
- दूर dūradistant, far from (with abl. or genitive); remote, long, a long way off; (am), n…
- दूरक dūrakaremote, distant, etc., = dūra.
- दूरक्त dū-raktaetc. See 2. dū, p. 426, col. 1.
- दूर्य dūryafeces, ordure; a kind of Curcuma (= śaṭī).
- दूर्व dūrvaname of a prince who was son of Nṛpañ-jaya and father of Ṭimi.
- दूर्वा dūrvābent grass, panic grass, commonly Panicum Dactylon;
- दूर्श dūrśaa kind of woven cloth or vesture;
- दूलास dūlāsa(?), a bow.
- दूलिका dūlikāand dūlī, f. the indigo plant;
- दूश्य dūśya= dūṣya, a tent.
- दूष dūṣadefiling, polluting, contaminating, corrupting,
- दूषक dūṣakamaking bad, corrupting, polluting, contaminating, vitiating, spoiling, violating…
- दूषण dūṣaṇacorrupting, spoiling, ruining, destroying, vitiating, contaminating, dishonouring…
- दूषणीय dūṣaṇīyacorruptible, liable to be vitiated, etc., = dūṣya.
- दूषयत् dūṣayatmaking bad, corrupting, defiling, etc.
- दूषयाण dūṣayāṇavitiating, defiling, spoiling.
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).