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 243 of 554
- नालिनी nālinīa mystical name of one nostril.
- नालीक nālīkaan arrow (= nārāca, but in the epic poetry different from it); a dart, a javelin, a pike…
- नालीकिनी nālīkinīa multitude or assemblage of lotus flowers, a lotus lake.
- नालन्द nālandaname of a village near Rājagṛha containing a celebrated Buddhist monastery.
- नालन्दर nālandaraname of a Buddhist monastery.
- नालिकेर nālikerathe cocoa-nut tree, the cocoa-nut; name of a district to the south-east of Madhya-deśa.
- नालिकेल nālikelathe cocoa-nut; (various reading for nālikera.)
- नालिजङ्घ nāli-jaṅghaa raven or the carrion-crow;
- नालिता nālitāan esculent root, Arum Colocasia.
- नालीप nālīpa= kadambaka; perhaps for kaḍambaka, the stalk of a pot-herb.
- नालीव्रण nālī-vraṇaa fistulous or sinus sore (= nāḍī-vraṇa).
- नाव1 nāvaa shout of joy or triumph.
- नाव2 nāva= 2. nau, q.v., a boat, a ship, in Dvigu comps. after numerals and ardha.
- नाविक nāvikabelonging to a vessel, ship, boat, etc.; (as), m., the helmsman of a vessel, the…
- नाविन् nāvina boatman, shipman, sailor.
- नाव्य1 nāvyanāvyati, etc., to wish for a ship.
- नाव्य2 nāvyanavigable; belonging to a boat; attainable or accessible by a boat or ship; (ā), f…
- नावनीत nāvanītamild.
- नावमिक nāvamikathe ninth.
- नावयज्ञिक nāvayajñikawith kāla, the time of offering the first-fruits etc. of the harvest.
- नावाकार nāvākāraSee 2. nau.
- नाव्य3 nāvyanewness, novelty.
- नाश1 nāśaattainment, obtaining;
- नाश2 nāśadisappearance; destruction, annihilation, ruin, loss; death; misfortune; abandonment…
- नाशक nāśakadestroying, destructive, annihilating, causing to perish;
- नाशन nāśanadestroying, annihilating, causing to be lost, causing to perish, removing,; (am), n…
- नाशनीय nāśanīyaliable to be destroyed, destructible.
- नाशयत् nāśayatdestroying, annihilating, removing.
- नाशयितृ nāśayitṛa destroyer, removing, a remover.
- नाशित nāśitadestroyed, ruined, suffered to perish, lost.
- नाशिन् nāśindestructive, destroying, a destroyer; removing; perishing, perishable, being lost or…
- नाशी nāśīname of a river near Benares.
- नाशुक nāśukadisappearing, perishing, being lost.
- नाश्य nāśyaliable to be destroyed, destructible.
- नाष्टिक nāṣṭikabelonging or relating to anything lost; (as), m. the owner of anything lost, the former…
- नाष्ट्रा nāṣṭrādanger, destruction; an evil spirit, a demon.
- नास्1 nāsnāsate, nanāse, nāsitum, to sound.
- नास्2 nāsthe nose, in nāsā, du. (Ṛg-veda II. 39, 6);
- नासा nāsāthe nose,; a proboscis, the trunk of an elephant; a piece of wood over a door projecting…
- नासालु nāsālua tree, commonly Kāyaphal. See kaṭphala, p. 196, col. 1.
- नासिका nāsikāthe nose, (originally nāsikā, sing. = a nostril; nāsike, du. = the two nostrils or the…
- नासिक्य nāsikyabeing in the nose; uttered through the nose, nasal; (as), m. any nasal sound; a peculiar…
- नासिक्यक nāsikyakathe nose.
- नास्य nāsyaa nose-cord, the rein of a draught-ox passed through the septum of the nostrils; noses, a…
- नासत्य nāsatyaname of one of the Aśvins, the other being then called Dasra; (au), m. du. the common…
- नासमौजस nāsamaujasaname of the brother of Asamaujas and son of Kambalabarhiṣa.
- नासिका nāsikāSee p. 480, col. 3.
- नासीर nāsīraadvancing or skirmishing in front of an army, leaving the line and defying or challenging…
- नास्ति nāstinon-existence, not so, it is not.
- नास्तिक nāstikaatheistical, unbelieving, infidel, an unbeliever, applied by the orthodox Hindūs to any…
- नास्तिद nāstidaor (according to others) nāstitada, as, m. the mango tree (= āmra).
- नाह nāhabinding, confinement; a trap, a snare for catching deer etc.; obstruction in any organ or…
- नाहल nāhalaa man of a barbarous or outcast tribe; (ās), m. pl., name of a non-Āryan people (=…
- नाहुष1 nāhuṣaneighbouring, being in the vicinity, neighbourly?; (Sāy.) human, belonging to men; (as)…
- नाहुष2 nāhuṣaa patronymic of Yayāti; name of a serpent-demon;
- नाहुषि nāhuṣia patronymic of Yayāti.
- नि ni(an indeclinable prefix to verbs and nouns, used as a preposition except in one passage…
- निंस् niṃsniṃste (2nd sing. niṃsse, 2nd sing. Impv. niṃssva), niniṃse, niṃsitum, etc., Vedic to…
- निः niḥeuphonically substituted for nis, q.v., before ś, ṣ, s, and rarely before k, kh, p, ph.
- निःक niḥkaetc. See under niṣ-ka˚, niṣ-kā˚, etc.
- निःक्षत्र niḥ-kṣatraor niḥ-kṣatriya, as, ā, am, destitute of the military tribe, having no warrior-caste.
- निःक्षिप् niḥ-kṣipprobably for ni-kṣip, q.v.
- निःक्षिप्त niḥ-kṣiptathrown or sent away; spent (as time), passed.
- निःक्षिप्य niḥ-kṣipyahaving thrown or sent away; having spent (as time); having wiped away (as tears).
- निःक्षेप niḥ-kṣepathrowing, sending, putting away; spending, passing (time); wiping away (as tears).
- निःप niḥpaand niḥ-pha˚. See under niṣ-pa˚ and niṣ-pha˚.
- निःशंसय niḥ-śaṃsayawrongly spelt for niḥ-saṃśaya.
- निःशङ्क niḥ-śaṅkafree from fear, fearless, without misgiving or apprehension, having no cares, free from…
- निःशङ्कित niḥ-śaṅkitafree from fear or care, free from risk, secure.
- निःशब्द niḥ-śabdanoiseless, soundless, not making a noise; (as, am), m. n. (?), soundlessness, silence, a…
- निःशम niḥ-śamauneasiness, discomposure, anxiety.
- निःशयान niḥ-śayānanot sleeping, not lying down.
- निःशरण niḥ-śaraṇawithout protection or refuge, defenceless, unprotected.
- निःशर्कर niḥ-śarkarafree from stones or pebbles (as a bathing-place).
- निःशलाक niḥ-śalākafree from talking birds (as parrots, jays, or crows); solitary, private.
- निःशल्य niḥ-śalyafreed from an arrow; free from spikes or thorns; (am), ind. without an arrow; unthorny…
- निःशस् niḥ-śasrefusing, declining; (Sāy.) disinclination, absence of wish or desire, dislike (=…
- निःशस्त्र niḥ-śastrawithout arms, unarmed, weaponless.
- निःशास् niḥ-śās-śāsti, -śāsitum, Vedic to order off or away; to expel.
- निःशिष् niḥ-śiṣ-śeṣayati, -yitum, to take away or destroy completely, consume entirely, annihilate;
- निःशेष niḥ-śeṣahaving no remainder, without remainder, completely spent, complete, entire, whole, (often…
- निःशेषण niḥ-śeṣaṇa= niḥ-śeṣa
- निःशेषित niḥ-śeṣitahaving nothing left, completely consumed or finished, destroyed, annihilated; (wrongly…
- निःशुक्र niḥ-śukrawithout brilliancy; without virile energy, impotent.
- निःशूक niḥ-śūkabeardless rice without any awn.
- निःशेष niḥ-śeṣaSee niḥ-śiṣ above.
- निःशोक niḥ-śokafree from sorrow or care.
- निःशोध्य niḥ-śodhyanot to be purified, not requiring cleansing; clean, pure.
- निःश्मश्रु niḥ-śmaśrubeardless; (wrongly read ni-śmaśru.)
- निःश्रम niḥ-śramaSee ni-śrama.
- निःश्रयणी niḥ-śrayaṇīor niḥ-śrayiṇī, f. a ladder, a staircase, steps, etc.;
- निःश्रेणि niḥ-śreṇia ladder or staircase, a flight of stairs or steps; the wild date tree.
- निःश्रेणिका niḥśreṇikāa species of grass.
- निःश्री niḥ-śrīdeprived of happiness or prosperity, unfortunate.
- निःश्रीक niḥśrīkadeprived of beauty (as a dead body), deprived of happiness, etc.; one whose happiness is…
- निःश्रेणि niḥ-śreṇiSee above.
- निःश्रेयस niḥ-śreyasahaving nothing better or superior, the best, most excellent; (as), m. an epithet of Śiva…
- निःश्वस् niḥ-śvas-śvasiti, -śvasitum, to breathe out, expire, sigh.
- निःश्वसन niḥ-śvasanabreathing out, sighing.
- निःश्वसित niḥ-śvasitabreathed out, sighed; sighing, breathing out; (am), n. sighing, expiration, a sigh.
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).