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 23 of 554
- अनुधावन1 anu-dhāvanachasing, pursuing, running after; close pursuit of any object, going after a mistress.
- अनुधावित anu-dhāvitapursued, run after, literally or figuratively.
- अनुधाव्2 anu-dhāv-dhavati, -te, -vitum, to cleanse.
- अनुधावन2 anu-dhāvanacleansing, purification.
- अनुध्यै anu-dhyai-dhyāyati, -dhyātum, to consider attentively, to think of, to muse, to be anxious.
- अनुध्यान anu-dhyānameditation, religious contemplation, solicitude.
- अनुध्यायिन् anu-dhyāyincontemplating, meditating.
- अनुनद् anu-nad-nadati, -ditum, to sound towards, (with acc.): Caus. P. -nādayati, -yitum, to make…
- अनुनाद anu-nādasound, vibration, reverberation, echo.
- अनुनादित anu-nāditamade to resound.
- अनुनादिन् anu-nādinresounding, echoing, resonant.
- अनुनम् anu-nam-namati, -nantum, to incline to.
- अनुनय anu-nayaetc. See anu-nī.
- अनुनासिक anu-nāsikanasal, uttered through the nose (as one of the five nasal consonants, or a vowel, or the…
- अनुनिक्रम् anu-ni-kram-krāmati, -kramitum, to follow in the steps.
- अनुनिक्ष् anu-nikṣ-nikṣati, -kṣitum, to pierce along.
- अनुनितुद् anu-ni-tud-tudati, -tottum, to wound with a stab, to goad.
- अनुनिपद् anu-ni-pad-padyate, -pattum, to lie down by the side of.
- अनुनिर्जहान anu-nir-jahānaproceeding out of (?).
- अनुनिर्दह् anu-nir-dah-dahati, -dagdhum, to burn down in succession.
- अनुनिर्देश anu-nirdeśadescription or relation following a previous model.
- अनुनिर्वाप anu-nirvāpasubsequent libation (with clarified butter).
- अनुनिर्वाप्या anu-nirvāpyāceremony connected with this subsequent libation.
- अनुनी anu-nī-nayati, -netum, to bring near, to lead after; to persuade, induce, win over, conciliate…
- अनुनय anu-nayaconciliation, salutation, courtesy, civility, showing respect or adoration to a guest or…
- अनुनयमान anu-nayamānaconciliating, honouring, showing respect.
- अनुनयिन् anu-nayincourteous, humble, supplicating.
- अनुनायक anu-nāyakasubmissive, humble.
- अनुनायिका anu-nāyikāa female character, subordinate to a nāyikā or leading female character in a drama.
- अनुनिनीषु anu-ninīṣudesirous of conciliating or gratifying.
- अनुनीत anu-nītatrained, disciplined, obtained, acquired, taught, respected; pleased, pacified, appeased…
- अनुनीति anu-nīticonciliation, courtesy, supplication.
- अनुनेय anu-neyaeasily conciliated.
- अनुनु anu-nuor -nū, cl. 6. and cl. 2. P., Vedic -nuvati or -nauti, -navitum or -nuvitum, to praise…
- अनुनृत् anu-nṛt-nṛtyati, -nartitum, to dance after (with acc.); to dance before (with acc.).
- अनुन्नत an-unnatanot elevated, not lifted up.
- अनुन्मत्त an-unmattaor an-unmadita or an-unmāda, as, ā, am, sane, sober, not wild, not mad.
- अनुप anupawatery, marshy; see anūpa.
- अनुपकारिन् an-upakārinnot assisting, disobliging, ungrateful, not making a return for benefits received…
- अनुपकृत an-upakṛtaunassisted.
- अनुपक्षित an-upakṣitauninjured, undestroyed.
- अनुपगीत an-upagītanot praised or celebrated (?); not accompanied in singing (?); (am), ind. so that no…
- अनुपघातार्जित an-upaghātārjitaacquired without detriment (to the paternal estate).
- अनुपघ्नत् an-upaghnatnot detrimental (to the paternal estate).
- अनुपच् anu-pac-pacati, -paktum, to make ripe by degrees: Pass. -pacyate, to become ripe by degrees.
- अनुपजीवनीय an-upajīvanīyayielding (or granting) no livelihood; having no livelihood.
- अनुपठ् anu-paṭh-paṭhati, -ṭhitum, to say after, repeat.
- अनुपठित anu-paṭhitaread through (aloud), recited.
- अनुपठितिन् anu-paṭhitin(one who has read through or recited), proficient.
- अनुपत् anu-pat-patati, -titum, to fly to (with acc.); fly after, run after, go after, follow: Caus…
- अनुपतन anu-patanafalling on or upon; following; (in mathem.) proportion.
- अनुपतित anu-patitafallen, descended; followed.
- अनुपात anu-pātasee s.v.
- अनुपति anu-patiafter the husband.
- अनुपथ anu-pathafollowing the road; having favourable roads ?; (as), m. a road; (am), ind. along the road.
- अनुपद्1 anu-pad-padyate, -pattum, to follow, attend, be fond of; to enter; to enter upon; to notice…
- अनुपद्2 anu-padcoming to pass; or (t), f. food (?).
- अनुपद anu-padafollowing closely; (as), m., name of a man or tribe; (am), n. a chorus, burden of a song…
- अनुपदवी anu-padavīa way.
- अनुपदिन् anu-padina searcher, an inquirer, one who follows or seeks for.
- अनुपदीना anupadīnāa boot, a buskin.
- अनुपदस्वत् an-upadasvatnot drying up, not decaying (?).
- अनुपदिष्ट an-upadiṣṭauntaught, uninstructed.
- अनुपदेष्टृ an-upadeṣṭṛone who does not point out or teach.
- अनुपध an-upadha(having no penultimate), a letter or syllable (as a sibilant or h) when not preceded by…
- अनुपधिशेष an-upadhi-śeṣathat in which there is not longer a condition of individulity (?).
- अनुपनाह an-upanāha(with Buddhists) want of close attachment or adherence (?).
- अनुपन्यस्त an-upanyastanot laid down clearly, not established.
- अनुपन्यास an-upanyāsafailure of proof or determination, uncertainty, doubt.
- अनुपपत्ति an-upapattinon-accomplishment, failure, inconclusive argumentation; irrelevancy, inapplicability…
- अनुपपन्न an-upapannanot done, unaccomplished, uneffected; unproved, undemonstrated; irrelevant, inconclusive…
- अनुपपादक an-upapādaka(having no material parent), name of a class of Buddhas, called Dhyānibuddhas.
- अनुपप्लव an-upaplavafree from any overwhelming calamity.
- अनुपप्लुत an-upaplutanot overwhelmed (with calamity).
- अनुपबाध an-upabādhaunobstructed, unimpaired.
- अनुपभुक्त an-upabhuktaunenjoyed, unpossessed.
- अनुपभुज्यमान an-upabhujyamānanot being enjoyed.
- अनुपम an-upamaincomparable, matchless; excellent, best; (ā), f. the female elephant of the south-east…
- अनुपमित an-upamitauncompared, matchless.
- अनुपमेय an-upameyaincomparable.
- अनुपमर्दन an-upamardananondemolition or refutation of a charge.
- अनुपयुक्त an-upayuktaunsuited, unsuitable, improper; useless, unserviceable.
- अनुपयोग an-upayogaunserviceableness, uselessness.
- अनुपयोगिन् an-upayoginunsuitable, useless.
- अनुपरत an-uparatauninterrupted, not stopped.
- अनुपरापत् anu-parā-pat-patati, -titum, to fly or hasten by the side of another.
- अनुपरिकॄ anu-pari-kṝ-kirati, -karitum, -rītum, to scatter alongside, to bestrew.
- अनुपरिक्रम् anu-pari-kram-krā-mati, -kramitum, to walk round in order, to make the circuit of, visit in a regular…
- अनुपरिगा anu-pari-gā-jigāti, gātum, to make the round of, traverse.
- अनुपरिणी anu-pari-ṇī-ṇayati, -ṇetum, to lead or carry about.
- अनुपरिधि anu-paridhialong or at the three Paridhis of the sacrificial fire.
- अनुपरिश्रित् anu-pariśritalong or at the surrounding fence.
- अनुपरी anu-parī-paryeti, -tum, to follow in going round, to make the round of.
- अनुपरे anu-pare-paraiti, -tum, to follow in walking off.
- अनुपर्यागा anu-pary-ā-gā-jigāti, gātum, to revolve, accomplish a revolution.
- अनुपर्ये anu-parye-paryaiti, -tum, to make the whole round of.
- अनुपलक्षित an-upalakṣitauntraced, unperceived, unmarked, undiscriminated.
- अनुपलक्ष्य an-upalakṣyanot to be traced.
- अनुपलब्ध an-upalabdhaunobtained, unperceived, unascertained.
- अनुपलब्धि an-upalabdhinon-perception, non-recognition.
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).