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 235 of 554
- धिष्1 dhiṣdidheṣṭi, etc., to sound, emit a sound; to praise, celebrate by hymns (?).
- धिष्2 dhiṣfixing the mind, attention (?), intelligence (?), devotion; (Sāy.) = dhiṣaṇā, knowledge…
- धिषण dhiṣaṇa‘the intelligent one,’ name of Bṛhas-pati, preceptor of the gods and regent of the planet…
- धिषण्य dhiṣaṇyaan adj. formed by Yāska (Nir. VIII. 3) to explain dhiṣṇya.
- धिषण्यत् dhiṣaṇyatattentive, devout (?); (Sāy.) desiring to praise.
- धिष्ट्य dhiṣṭyaplaced on a fire-altar (?); (wrong reading for dhiṣṇya, q.v.)
- धिष्ठ्य dhiṣṭhyasite, seat, place, (wrong reading for dhiṣṇya, q.v.); (as), m. fire; the planet Venus (?).
- धिष्णिय dhiṣṇiyafor dhiṣṇya, q.v.
- धिष्णीय dhiṣṇīyaintended for or belonging to the Dhiṣṇyas, i.e. certain receptacles or places for fire.
- धिष्ण्य dhiṣṇyaonly perceptible by the mind; (Sāy. = dhārṣṭya-yukta), endowed with fortitude…
- धी1 dhī(sometimes given in the reduplicated form dīdhī; the later forms of dhī are 1. dhā, dhyā…
- धियसान dhiyasānareflecting, meditating upon, fixing the mind upon.
- धियाय dhiyāyadhiyāyate, etc., Vedic to fix the mind upon; to be devout, practise devotion; (Sāy.) to…
- धियाय dhiyāyareflecting, devout, pious; (Sāy.) wishing to understand.
- धी2 dhīthought, idea, notion, intention; understanding, wisdom, intellect, intelligence…
- धीत1 dhītareflected on, thought about.
- धीति1 dhīti(for 2. dhīti see col. 2), Vedic thought, notion, reflection, idea; devotion, prayer…
- धीतिक dhītikaname of a Buddhist patriarch.
- धीदा1 dhīdā(for 2. dhīdā see col. 2), understanding, intellect.
- धीवन् dhīvanclever, skilful; (ā), m. an artizan, artificer, a worker in brass; a fisherman;
- धीवर dhīvaraa fisherman, fisher; (ī), f. a fisherman's wife; a sort of harpoon for catching fish; a…
- धीवरक dhīvarakaa fisherman, fisher.
- धीक्ष् dhīkṣdhīkṣate, etc., Vedic to wish to anoint.
- धीत2 dhītadrunk, sucked, sucked in, sucked out.
- धीति2 dhīti(for 1. dhīti see col. 1), drinking; (according to the commentators), thirst.
- धीदा2 dhīdāa daughter, a virgin, a maiden. (For 1. dhīdā see col. 1.)
- धीन dhīnairon (?).
- धीर dhīrasteady, holding firmly, steadfast, enduring, durable, lasting, constant, continual; firm…
- धीरावी dhīrāvīname of a plant (= pītaśiṃśapā).
- धीर्य dhīryaintelligent, wise, clever; (am), n. intelligence, prudence.
- धीलटी dhīlaṭīa daughter.
- धीवर dhīvaraSee col. 1.
- धु1 dhu= rt. 1. dhū, to shake, q.v.
- धु2 dhushaking, trembling.
- धुत dhutashaken, agitated, moved quickly to and fro; abandoned, deserted, left.
- धुन dhunashaking. See col. 3.
- धुनन dhunanashaking, agitation.
- धुनान dhunānashaking, agitating.
- धुनि dhuniSee col. 3.
- धुन्वत् dhunvatshaking, agitating.
- धुन्वान dhunvānashaking, agitating.
- धुवन dhuvanafire; (am), n. shaking, agitation; place of execution.
- धुवित्र dhuvitraa sort of fan (made of deer-skin and especially used to kindle or excite a sacrificial…
- धुक dhukaa kind of plant (commonly Bhuyabora or Rānabora, bora = badara).
- धुक्ष् dhukṣdhukṣate, etc., to kindle; to be weary; to live.
- धुङ्क्षा dhuṅkṣāa kind of bird.
- धुन dhunasounding, roaring; shaking, agitating, (only in comp.)
- धुनय dhunayadhuna-yati, -te, etc., Vedic to sound, roar, to flow with a roaring noise; to flow.
- धुनि dhunisounding, roaring, blustering; (Sāy.) shaking, agitating, causing to tremble,; (is), m…
- धुन्धु dhundhuname of an Asura slain by Kuvalāśva (or Kuvalayāśva), father of Sunda; (a various reading…
- धुर् dhurthat part of a yoke which rests on the shoulder; a yoke; a burden, load (literally and…
- धुर dhuraat end of comp. = dhur, a yoke, pole; burden; pin at the end of an axle etc.; (1. dhurā)…
- धुरीण dhurīṇafit to be harnessed; bearing a burden or able to bear one, laden with, abounding with…
- धुरीय dhurīyaable to bear a burden, fit for a load, suited to a burden; charged with important duties…
- धुर्य dhuryaor (sometimes wrongly spelt) dhūrya, as, ā, am, fit to be harnessed, fit for a burden…
- धुरा2 dhurā(for 1. see dhura, p. 456, col. 3), violently, hurtfully,
- धुर्व् dhurvdhur-vati, etc., to hurt, kill.
- धुवका dhuvakāthe introductory stanza of a song, forming afterwards the burden of each verse;
- धुशुल्या dhuśulyā(?), f., name of a river.
- धुस्तुर dhusturaor dhustūra, as, m. the thorn-apple, Datura Fastuosa;
- धू1 dhūdhūnoti, dhūnute, (in the later language also) dhunoti, dhunute; cl. 6. P. dhuvati; cl…
- धू2 dhūshaking, agitating.
- धूक dhūkaair or wind; a rogue, cheat; time; a kind of plant (= vakula).
- धूत dhūtashaken, shaken off, removed, agitated; fanned, rinsed, cleansed (in this sense said to be…
- धूति dhūti‘a shaker, agitator,’ name of an Āditya; (is), f. shaking, moving to and fro, fanning…
- धूत्वा dhūtvāhaving shaken or shaken off; having agitated.
- धून dhūnashaken, agitated; distressed by heat or thirst.
- धूनन dhūnanawind; (am), n. the act of shaking, agitation.
- धूनय dhūnayadhūnayati, -te, etc., to shake, agitate, move to and fro.
- धूनि dhūnishaking agitating.
- धूप dhūpaincense, frankincense, perfume, aromatic vapour or smoke, the vapour proceeding from…
- धूपक dhūpaka= dhūpa in kṛtrima-dh˚ and other adj. comp.; a preparer of perfumes or incense, a perfumer
- धूपन dhūpanaincensing, fumigation, perfuming; perfume, incense, the aromatic vapour produced from…
- धूपय dhūpayadhūpayati, -yitum, to fumigate, perfume, incense, make fragrant; (in astron.) to obscure…
- धूपाय dhūpāyadhūpāyati, -yitum, to fumigate, perfume with incense;
- धूपायित dhūpāyitaincensed, perfumed, fumigated, scented with incense; vexed, pained.
- धूपि dhūpiname of a class of divine beings presiding over rain (?).
- धूपिक dhūpikaa preparer of perfumes or incense, a perfumer;
- धूपित dhūpitascented, perfumed, incensed; suffering pain or fatigue.
- धूप्य dhūpya(?), the claw of a particular animal which when burned emits a fragrant perfume;
- धूम dhūmasmoke, vapour, incense; mist, haze; breath (Vedic); a cloud; (in medic.) smoke as a…
- धूमक dhūmakaat the end of a comp.; (ikā), f. smoke, vapour, fog.
- धूमय dhūmayadhūmayati, etc., to cover with smoke, obscure with mist: Pass. dhūmyate, etc., to be…
- धूमल dhūmalasmoke-coloured, of a smoky hue, brownish red, of a purple colour; (as), m. a colour…
- धूमस dhūmasathe plant Tectona Grandis; (ī), f. a sort of cake made of pulse steeped in water and…
- धूमाय dhūmāyadhūmāyati, -te, -yitum, to smoke, be covered or obscured with smoke, to steam: Caus. P…
- धूमायन dhūmāyanasmoking, steaming; (in medic.) heat, fever, feverishness.
- धूमायित dhūmāyitathe act of smoking.
- धूमिका dhūmikāSee dhūmaka.
- धूमित dhūmitaobscured with smoke, mist, etc., darkened; (ā), f., scil. diś, that quarter towards which…
- धूमिन् dhūminsmoking, steaming; (inī), f., name of one of the seven tongues of Agni; of the wife of…
- धूम्यमान dhūmyamānabeing obscured with mist etc., being obscured.
- धूम्या dhūmyāthick smoke, a volume or cloud of smoke.
- धूम्र dhūmrasmoky, smoke-coloured, grey; (according to the lexicographers) dark-red or the colour of…
- धूम्रक dhūmraka‘the grey animal,’ a camel; (ikā), f. the plant Dalbergia Sissoo (= śiṃśapā).
- धूम्रायण dhūmrāyaṇaa patronymic from Dhūmra;
- धूम्रिमन् dhūmrimandark-red (the colour), darkness of colour; obscurity.
- धूयमान dhūyamānabeing shaken or agitated or fanned.
- धूलि dhūlior dhūlī, f., dust; powder;; a particular number.
- धूलिका dhūlikāfog, mist, (from its dust-like appearance.)
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).