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 231 of 554
- द्रावयत्सख drāvayat-sakhacausing a companion to go quickly; carrying a rider quickly away.
- द्रावयाण drāvayāṇaputting to flight, causing to run.
- द्रावयित्नु drāvayitnucausing to run or to make haste.
- द्रावित drāvitamade to run or fly, put to flight, chased, driven away; melted, liquefied; softened.
- द्राव्य drāvyato be made to run, to be set in motion, to be put to flight; fusible, liquefiable, to be…
- द्राविड drāviḍaDrāviḍian, belonging to the Draviḍas, a Draviḍa; (ās), m. pl. the Draviḍa people and…
- द्राविडक drāviḍakazedoary, Curcuma Zedoaria; (am), n. black salt (= viḍ-lavaṇa).
- द्राविणोदस drāviṇodasacoming from or belonging to those who present gifts, i.e. from sacrificers; relating to…
- द्रावित drāvitaSee under drāva, col. 1.
- द्राह् drāhdrāhate, etc., to wake; to deposit, pledge, put or cast down.
- द्राह्यायण drāhyāyaṇaname of an author of certain Kalpa-sūtras.
- द्राह्यायणक drāhyāyaṇakathe Sūtras of Drāhyāyaṇa.
- द्राह्यायणि drāhyāyaṇia patronymic from Drāhyāyaṇa.
- द्राह्यायणीय drāhyāyaṇīyarelating to Drāhyāyaṇa, composed by him.
- द्रिमिल drimilaname of a lexicographer; (various reading for dramila, q.v.)
- द्रु1 drudruṇoti, etc., to hurt, injure, wound or kill; to repent; to go;
- द्रु2 dru(in the poetry of the later language also A.) dravati, -te, dudrāva, dudruve, droṣyati…
- द्रु3 druat the end of a comp., cf. mitad˚, raghu-d˚, śata-d˚; (us), f. going, motion.
- द्रुत drutaquick, speedy, swift; quickly pronounced and therefore indistinct; flown, escaped, run or…
- द्रुति drutiname of the wife of Nakta and mother of Gaya.
- द्रु4 dru= dāru, wood, any implement made of wood, as a cup or an oar; (us), m., a tree; a branch;
- द्रुम drumaa tree in general; a tree of Svarga or paradise; name of a prince of the Kim-puruṣas; a…
- द्रुमर drumaraa thorn.
- द्रुमाय drumāyadrumāyate, etc., to pass or be counted or considered as a tree.
- द्रुमिणी drumiṇīan assemblage of trees, a forest.
- द्रुमिल drumilaname of a Dānava who was prince of Saubha etc.;
- द्रुवय druvayaa wooden vessel, the wooden part of a drum; (as, am), m. n. a measure.
- द्रुड् druḍ6. P. droḍati and druḍati, etc., to sink, perish;
- द्रुण् druṇdruṇati, etc., to make crooked or curved, to bend; to go, move, approach; to hurt…
- द्रुण druṇaa scorpion; a bee; a rogue, cheat; (ī), f. a small or female tortoise; an oval vessel or…
- द्रुणि druṇi= druṇī, droṇī, an oval water-basin of wood or stone etc.; a bucket, basket.
- द्रुम्म् drummdrummati, etc., Vedic to go.
- द्रुह्1 druh(ep. also A.) druh-yati, dudroha, drohiṣyati, dhrokṣyati, adruhat, drohitum, drogdhum and…
- द्रुग्ध drugdhainjured, plotted against; an injurer; (am), n. offence, injury.
- द्रुह्2 druhor (according to the grammarians) dhruṭ, (at the end of a comp.) injuring, having…
- द्रुहा druhā(according to Sāy. inst. sing. of 2. druh), injury, damage.
- द्रुहु druhu= 2. druh, injuring, hurting.
- द्रुह्य druhyaname of a man; (ās), m. pl. his descendants.
- द्रुह्यत् druhyatinjuring, hurting, attacking, assailing, defying; tyrannizing over, oppressing.
- द्रुह्यु druhyuname of a people; (in epic poetry Druhyu is with Yadu a son of Yayāti, sometimes wrongly…
- द्रुह्वन् druhvanhurting, injuring;
- द्रोग्धव्य drogdhavyato be injured or hurt.
- द्रोग्धृ drogdhṛan injurer, one who seeks to hurt, malevolent.
- द्रोघ droghainjury, damage;
- द्रोह drohainjury, insidious wounding, hostile action, mischief, malice, perfidy, treachery…
- द्रोहित drohitahostile, maliciously inclined.
- द्रोहिन् drohinhurting, harming, injuring, endeavouring to hurt, malignant, malicious; rebellious.
- द्रुह druhaa son; a lake; (ī), f. a daughter.
- द्रुहण druhaṇaor druhiṇa, as, m., an epithet of Brahmā; of Śiva.
- द्रू1 drūdrūṇāti, etc., to raise the arm or hand in order to strike, etc.; cl. 5. P. drūṇoti…
- द्रू2 drū?, gold; taking any shape at will.
- द्रूघण drū-ghaṇa= dru-ghana, a sort of hatchet, an iron club; an epithet of Brahmā.
- द्रूण drūṇa= druṇa, a scorpion; (am), n. a bow.
- द्रूड् drūḍor drūḷ, cl. 1. P. drūḷati, etc., Vedic to go;
- द्रेक् drekdrekate, etc., to sound; to manifest joy or high spirits by noise; to grow, increase.
- द्रेक्क drekkaor drekkāṇa or dreṣkāṇa = dṛkāṇa, q.v.
- द्रेश्य dreśyavisible, = dṛśya.
- द्रै draidrāyati, etc., to sleep;
- द्रोण droṇaa wooden vessel or cup, a bucket, a tub; a trough; a Soma vessel; (as, am), m. n. a…
- द्रोणक droṇaka‘the inhabitants of a valley,’ name of a people.
- द्रोणि droṇiany oval vessel made of wood etc. in the shape of a boat and used for holding and pouring…
- द्रोणिका droṇikāa tub, bucket, trough, etc.; (metaphorically) the tongue bent in the form of a droṇa (by…
- द्रोणेय droṇeya= droṇī-lavaṇa.
- द्रोण्य droṇyabelonging to a bucket, tub, trough, rack, etc.
- द्रौण drauṇacontaining a droṇa.
- द्रौणायन drauṇāyanaor drauṇāyani, is, m. a patronymic of Aśvatthāman son of Droṇa.
- द्रौणि drauṇia patronymic of Aśvatthāman; of Vyāsa in a future Dvāpara.
- द्रौणिक drauṇikacontaining a droṇa; sown with a droṇa of grain (as a field); (ī), f. a vessel holding a…
- द्रौणी drauṇī(a wrong form for droṇī), a trough, tub, etc.
- द्रोमिण dromiṇa= drāmila, q.v.
- द्रौघण draughaṇaan adj. formed fr. dru-ghaṇa, q.v.
- द्रौपद draupadain draupadāditya, a form of the Sun; (ī), f. a patronymic of Kṛṣṇā, wife of the Pāṇḍu…
- द्रौपदेय draupadeyaa patronymic of any of the five sons of the five Pāṇḍu princes, viz. of Prativindhya, son…
- द्रौह्य drauhyaa patronymic from Druhya.
- द्रौह्यव drauhyavaa patronymic from Druhyu.
- द्व dvaSee dvā and dvi.
- द्वक dvaka(fem. dvake or dvike), Vedic two and two, two by two.
- द्वन्द dvandaa pair, a couple; (as), m. a clock or plate on which the hours are struck.
- द्वन्द्व dvandvaa pair, brace, couple; a couple of animals of different sexes, male and female; any two…
- द्वन्द्विन् dvandvinforming a couple; opposed to one another; contradictory, quarrelsome, antagonistic.
- द्वय dvayatwofold, double, of two kinds or sorts; (ī), f. a pair; (am), n. a pair, couple, two…
- द्वयत् dvayatSee a-d˚.
- द्वयाविन् dvayāvinfalse, dishonest.
- द्वयु dvayufalse, dishonest;
- द्वर dvaraor dvari, is, is, i, or dvarin, ī, iṇī, i, Vedic obstructing.
- द्वा dvāold nom. du. m. fr. dva = dvi, two (in comp. before other numerals and before ja and…
- द्वादशन् dvā-daśanSee dvā, col. 2.
- द्वार् dvāra gate, door, entrance; access, way; expedient, means, opportunity; dvārā, inst. c., at…
- द्वार dvāraa door, gate, gateway, passage, entrance, opening; a way, means, medium, vehicle, (the…
- द्वारक dvārakaabove; (ā or ikā), f. ‘the city with many gates,’ name of the capital of Kṛṣṇa (on the…
- द्वारिक dvārikaa door-keeper, warder; name of one of the eighteen attendants of the Sun; (ikā), f., see…
- द्वारिन् dvārina door-keeper, porter, warder.
- द्वार्य dvāryabelonging to a door, being at a door; (ā), f., scil. sthūṇā, a door-post.
- द्वि dvidve, f. n. du. (the old dual form is dvā, q.v., from the original base dva), two, both…
- द्विक dvikaconsisting of two, twofold, a pair; the second; happening the second time; increased by…
- द्वित dvitaname of an Āptya (supposed to be the author of a Ṛg-veda hymn; in epic poetry, Ekata…
- द्वितय dvitayaconsisting of two, divided into two parts, twofold, double; dvitaye or dvitayās, m. pl…
- द्वितीय dvitīyasecond, the second; forming the half or second part of anything; (as), m. the second…
- द्वितीयक dvitīyakaor ikā (?), am, the second, happening the second time; returning every second day;
- द्वितीयिक dvitīyikasecond.
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).