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 230 of 554
- द्युत्3 dyutshining, splendor, a ray of light.
- द्युतद्यामन् dyutad-yāmanhaving a shining or brilliant path.
- द्युतान dyutānaname of a Ṛṣi with the patronymic Māruta or Māruti, who is author of a hymn of the…
- द्युति dyutisplendor, brightness, brilliancy, lustre, beauty; light, a ray of light; majesty…
- द्युतित dyutitailluminated, enlightened, shining;
- द्युतित्वा dyutitvāor dyotitvā, ind. (Pāṇ. 1. 2, 26), having become bright or brilliant.
- द्युतिला dyutilāthe plant Hemionitis Cordifolia.
- द्योत dyotalight, lustre, brilliance; sunshine; heat;
- द्योतक dyotakashining; illuminating; making clear, explaining; meaning, significant, expressing…
- द्योतन dyotanaor ī, am, shining, bright, brilliant; illuminating, enlightening; explaining, meaning…
- द्योतनक dyotanakamaking manifest, explaining; (ikā), f. explanation.
- द्योतनि dyotanisplendor, brightness.
- द्योतमान dyotamānashining, being bright, brilliant.
- द्योतयमान dyotayamānailluminating, enlightening, irradiating.
- द्योतित dyotitashone upon, illustrated, illuminated, etc., = dyutita, q.v.
- द्योतिन् dyotinshining, brilliant, splendid.
- द्योतिस् dyotislight, brightness; a star.
- द्योत्य dyotyato be made clear or expressed or explained.
- द्यौत dyautaname of a Sāman.
- द्यौतान dyautānaname of a Sāman.
- द्यौत्त्र dyauttralight, splendor; forked lightning.
- द्युत dyuta(in astrology) name of the seventh mansion; (also read dyuna or dyūna, q.v.)
- द्युन dyunaand 2 dyūna.
- द्यू dyūplaying, sporting with, delighting in, (used at the end of a comp., see akṣa-d˚, eka-d˚…
- द्यूत dyūta(past part. pass. of 2. div), gambled; (as, am), m. n. play, gaming, gambling, playing…
- द्यूत्वा dyūtvāhaving played or gambled.
- द्यून1 dyūna(past part. pass. of 1. div or of 2. div, but not in the sense ‘to gamble’), lamenting…
- द्यून2 dyūnathe seventh mansion or sign of the zodiac reckoning from that which the sun enters;
- द्यै1 dyaidyāyati, dadyau, etc., to despise, reprove, treat with contempt; to disfigure.
- द्यै2 dyaifie! for shame!
- द्यो dyoSee p. 438, col. 2.
- द्योत dyotaetc. See p. 438, cols. 2, 3.
- द्यौष्पितृ dyauṣ-pitṛSee 3. div, p. 413.
- द्रकट drakaṭaor dragaḍa, as, m. a kettledrum with which sleepers are awakened.
- द्रङ्क्षण draṅkṣaṇaa measure or weight, = tolaka.
- द्रङ्ग draṅgaa town, city;
- द्रढय draḍhayadraḍhayati, -yitum, to make firm, fasten, tighten; confirm, corroborate, affirm, assert;
- द्रढिक draḍhikaname of a man.
- द्रढिमन् draḍhimanfirmness, hardness; heaviness; affirmation, assertion.
- द्रढिष्ठ draḍhiṣṭha(superl.) very hard, hardest, firmest, tightest.
- द्रढीयस् draḍhīyas(compar.) harder, firmer, hardest.
- द्रधस् dradhasa garment (?).
- द्रप्स drapsadripping, falling in drops, flowing as liquid; (as), m. (according to some only used as a…
- द्रप्सिन् drapsindripping, falling in drops, flowing thickly; distilling; gushing (as rain etc.).
- द्रप्स्य drapsyathin coagulated milk, diluted sour milk, diluted curds.
- द्रबुद्ध drabuddhaor am, m. or n. (?), a particular high number.
- द्रम् dramdramati, dadrāma, dramiṣyati, dramitum, to run, go, move, run about: Caus. dramayati…
- द्रमिट dramiṭaor dramita, as, m., name of a serpent-king.
- द्रमिल dramilaname of a country; of a lexicographer; (ās), m. pl., name of a school.
- द्रम्म drammaa drachma.
- द्रव dravarunning (as a horse); flowing, fluid; dropping, dripping, distilling, oozing; liquid…
- द्रवक dravakarunning.
- द्रवण dravaṇarunning, going; flowing, dropping, exuding; heat.
- द्रवत् dravatrunning, flowing, going; trickling, oozing; (antī), f. a river in general; the plant…
- द्रवत्य dravatyadravatyati, etc., to become fluid.
- द्रवमाण dravamāṇaflowing, fluid, melted.
- द्रवर dravararunning quickly.
- द्रवस्य dravasyadravasyati, -yitum, to harass one's self, take great pains; to attend upon or serve any…
- द्रवि dravia smelter, one who melts metal.
- द्रविण draviṇaany valuable possession, property, substance, goods, wealth, gold, money; thing, matter…
- द्रविणक draviṇakaname of a son of Vasu Agni;
- द्रविणस् draviṇasproperty, possession, goods, substance; (ās), m., name of a son of Pṛthu; (according to…
- द्रविणस्यु draviṇasyudesiring goods or wealth; (Sāy.) desiring sacrificial offerings; (us), m. an epithet of…
- द्रवितृ dravitṛa runner, running.
- द्रवित्नु dravitnurunning, making haste.
- द्रव्य1 dravyaa substance, thing, object; the ingredients or materials of anything; medicinal substance…
- द्रव्यक dravyaka= dravya-vāhaka, a carrier or taker of anything.
- द्रविड draviḍaname of a people and district on the east coast of the Dekhan,; (ī), f., name of a Rāgiṇī.
- द्रव्य2 dravyaderived from or relating to a tree; (am), n. lac, the animal dye; extract, gum, resin…
- द्रष्टव्य draṣṭavyato be seen, visible, apparent; to be perceived or recognized, perceptible; to be…
- द्रष्टुकाम draṣṭu-kāmawishing to see, desirous of seeing.
- द्रष्टुमनस् draṣṭu-manashaving a mind to see, wishing to see.
- द्रष्टुशक्य draṣṭu-śakyaable to be seen.
- द्रष्टृ draṣṭṛa seer, spectator; one who examines or investigates or decides in a court of law, a…
- द्रह drahaa deep lake.
- द्रह्यत् drahyatfirmly, strongly.
- द्रा1 drāor drai, q.v., cl. 4. 2. P. drā-yati, drāti, etc., to sleep.
- द्रा2 drādrāti, dadrau, drāsyati, drātum, to run, make haste; run away, fly; to be ashamed or…
- द्राक् drākquickly, speedily, instantly, immediately, shortly, soon.
- द्राण drāṇaflown, run away.
- द्राक्षा drākṣāa vine, grape; (as, ī, am), made of grapes;
- द्राख् drākhdrākhati, etc., to become dry or arid; to be able or competent or sufficient; to adorn…
- द्राघ् drāghdrāghate, etc., to be able or competent; to stretch, lengthen; to exert one's self; to be…
- द्राघय drāghayadrāghayati, etc., to lengthen, extend, stretch; to tarry, delay, to be slow or dilatory.
- द्राघित drāghitalengthened, made long.
- द्राघिमन् drāghimanlength; a degree of longitude.
- द्राघिष्ठ drāghiṣṭhalongest, very long.
- द्राघीयस् drāghīyaslonger, very or exceedingly long.
- द्राघ्मन् drāghman= drāghiman.
- द्राङ्क्ष् drāṅkṣdrāṅkṣati, etc., to utter a discordant sound; to croak, to caw etc. (as a bird); to…
- द्राङ्गवध drāṅgavadhaname of a man.
- द्राड् drāḍdrāḍate, etc., to divide, split, pierce, pull to pieces, etc.; to go to pieces;
- द्राप drāpamud, mire; heaven, sky; a fool, blockhead, an idiot; a name of Śiva with his hair twisted…
- द्रापि1 drāpia mantle, garment.
- द्रापि2 drāpi‘one who causes to run,’ epithet of Rudra.
- द्रामिल drāmila‘born in Dramila,’ name of the Muni Cāṇakya; (also dromiṇa.)
- द्रायुध drāyudha(?), a peculiar species of horse.
- द्राव drāvaflight, retreat; speed, going quickly; running, flowing; fusing, liquefaction; heat.
- द्रावक drāvakacausing to run; solvent; captivating, enchanting; cunning; (as), m. a flux to assist the…
- द्रावण drāvaṇaputting to flight, causing to run or retreat; fusing; (am), n. the act of causing to fly…
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).