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
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55,387 headwords · page 262 of 554
- निष्पवण niṣ-pavaṇaSee niṣ-pū, p. 509.
- निष्पा1 niṣ-pā-pibati or -pivati, -pāti, -pātum, Vedic to drink out, drink up, drink from (with abl.)…
- निष्पान niṣ-pānadrinking out, drinking up.
- निष्पीत niṣ-pītadrunk up, dried up, sucked up, exhausted.
- निष्पा2 niṣ-pā-pāti, -pātum, to defend from (with abl.).
- निष्पादक niṣ-pādakaetc. See under 2. niṣ-pad, p. 508, col. 3.
- निष्पाप niṣ-pāpafree from sin, sinless, guiltless.
- निष्पार niṣ-pārawithout boundaries, boundless, unlimited.
- निष्पालक niṣ-pālakawithout protector or guardian, unprotected.
- निष्पिश् niṣ-piś-piṃśati, -te, -peśitum, Vedic to tear the flesh of an animal from the skin.
- निष्पिष् niṣ-piṣ-pi-naṣṭi, -peṣṭum, to grind, crush, pound, bruise, triturate; to rub, rub the hands; to…
- निष्पिष्ट niṣ-piṣṭaground, pounded, pulverized, bruised, crushed, reduced to dust or powder; beaten…
- निष्पेष niṣ-peṣaor niṣ-peṣaṇa, am, n. rubbing together, grinding, pulverizing, bruising; striking…
- निष्पीड niṣ-pīḍapressed out ?, sucked out.
- निष्पीत niṣ-pītaSee 1. niṣ-pā, p. 508.
- निष्पुड्गल niṣ-puḍgalaor niṣ-puṅgala, as, ā, am, without personality (?);
- निष्पुत्र niṣ-putrasonless, childless.
- निष्पुराण niṣ-purāṇanot existing before, new.
- निष्पुरुष niṣ-puruṣadeprived of men, without males, unpeopled, desolate; not having produced male children…
- निष्पुलाक niṣ-pulākafree from chaff or rather from bad or useless grain; (as), m., name of the fourteenth…
- निष्पू niṣ-pū-punāti, -punīte, -pavitum, to cleanse, purify; to winnow, fan.
- निष्पवण niṣ-pavaṇawinnowing, fanning.
- निष्पाव niṣ-pāvafanning, winnowing, cleaning corn, etc.; the wind caused by the winnowing sieve or…
- निष्पावक niṣ-pāvakaa species of pulse, = valla or śveta-śimbī; (ikā), f., cf. nakha-n˚, vṛtta-n˚.
- निष्पावल niṣ-pāvalaan adj. formed fr. niṣ-pāva, Pāṇini V. 2, 97.
- निष्पॄ niṣ-pṝor niṣ-pṛ (nis-pṝ), cl. 3. 9. P. -piparti, -pṛṇāti, -paritum or -parītum, to bring out…
- निष्पूर्त niṣ-pūrtapoured out; filled.
- निष्पौरुष niṣ-pauruṣadevoid of manhood, unmanly; (also written niḥ-pauruṣa.)
- निष्प्रकम्प niṣ-prakampaimmovable, motionless; (as), m., name of one of the Saptarṣis in the thirteenth…
- निष्प्रकारक niṣ-prakārakawithout distinction of species or kind, without specification.
- निष्प्रकाश niṣ-prakāśanot transparent, not clear, lightless, dark.
- निष्प्रचार niṣ-pracāranot going or moving away, remaining in one's place; concentrated or fixed upon one point…
- निष्प्रणय niṣ-praṇayawithout affection, cold.
- निष्प्रताप niṣ-pratāpavoid of dignity, mean, base.
- निष्प्रतिकार niṣ-pratikāraSee niṣ-pratīkāra below.
- निष्प्रतिक्रिय niṣ-pratikriyaincurable, irremediable, what cannot be remedied.
- निष्प्रतिग्रह niṣ-pratigrahanot accepting gifts.
- निष्प्रतिघ niṣ-pratighanot impeded by obstacles, unhindered, unimpeded.
- निष्प्रतिद्वन्द्व niṣ-pratidvandvawithout adversaries or enemies, unopposed; having no match, matchless, unequalled.
- निष्प्रतिपक्ष niṣ-pratipakṣahaving no adversary, without an opponent.
- निष्प्रतिभ niṣ-pratibhahaving no splendor, deprived of splendor; stupid, frigid, dull, apathetic, ignorant.
- निष्प्रतिभान niṣ-pratibhānanot bold, cowardly, pusillanimous.
- निष्प्रतीकार niṣ-pratīkārawithout obstacles, unobstructed, uninterrupted; (am), ind. unobstructedly…
- निष्प्रतीप niṣ-pratīpanot turned backwards, directed forwards, looking straightforwards; niṣpratīpaṃ darśanam…
- निष्प्रत्यूह niṣ-pratyūhaunobstructed, unimpeded, irremediable; (am), ind. without hindrance or obstacle, freely.
- निष्प्रधान niṣ-pradhānadeprived of a chief, destitute of leaders.
- निष्प्रपञ्च niṣ-prapañcawithout extension or diffusion; without deceit, pure, honest.
- निष्प्रपतन niṣ-prapatanain dur-n˚, q.v.
- निष्प्रभ niṣ-prabhadeprived of light or radiance, lustreless; gloomy, dark, obscure; (as), m., name of a…
- निष्प्रभाव niṣ-prabhāvapowerless.
- निष्प्रमाणक niṣ-pramāṇakawanting authority, without authority.
- निष्प्रयत्न niṣ-prayatnaabstaining from exertion or effort, inactive, inert.
- निष्प्रयोजन niṣ-prayojanawithout motives, not influenced by any motive; causeless, groundless, reasonless…
- निष्प्रवणि niṣ-pravaṇior niṣ-pravāṇi, is, is, i, or niṣ-pravāṇa, as, ī, am, fresh from the loom, quite new and…
- निष्प्राण niṣ-prāṇaone whose breath has departed, breathless, lifeless, dead, quite exhausted.
- निष्प्रीति niṣ-prītijoyless, feeling no pleasure.
- निष्प्लाव niṣ-plāvain kaṭu-n˚, incorrectly for niṣ-pāva under niṣ-pū, col. 1.
- निष्फल niṣ-phalabearing no fruit, fruitless, unfruitful, barren, useless, unprofitable, vain…
- निष्फलय niṣ-phalayaniṣphalayati, etc., to make unfruitful, to render fruitless.
- निष्फेन niṣ-phenafoamless, without foam; (also written niḥ-phena.)
- निष्यन्द ni-ṣyandaSee nisyanda, ni-syandin, p. 510, col. 3.
- निष्यूत ni-ṣyūtasewn on.
- निष्षपिन् niṣṣapinlibidinous, lustful.
- निष्षह् niṣ-ṣahor niṣ-ṣāh, ṭ, ṭ, ṭ, Vedic overpowering, expelling; (Sāy. = niḥsārayitṛ.)
- निस् nis(as a preposition or prefix to verbs and their derivative nouns, expressing) out, forth…
- निसङ्कक्ष ni-saṅkakṣaSee niḥ-saṅkakṣa.
- निसञ्ज्ञ ni-sañjñafor niḥ-sañjña, q.v.
- निसम्पात ni-sampātamidnight; (also niḥ-sampāta.)
- निसर ni-sara(according to Mahī-dhara) a noun of agency fr. rt. sṛ with ni.
- निसर्ग ni-sargaSee under ni-sṛj, p. 510.
- निसर्प ni-sarpa. See naisarpa, p. 518, col. 2.
- निसिन्धु ni-sindhuor nisindhuka, as, m. a species of shrub, Vitex Negundo (= nirguṇḍī);
- निसुन्द ni-sundaname of an Asura slain by Kṛṣṇa;
- निसुम्भ ni-sumbhaSee ni-śumbha, p. 505.
- निसुसूष् ni-susūṣ. See Pāṇini VIII. 3, 117, and cf. abhi-susūṣ.
- निसूदक ni-sūdakaone who kills, a killer, destroyer.
- निसूदन ni-sūdanakilling, destroying, a destroyer, (at the end of a comp.); (am), n. killing, destroying…
- निसृ ni-sṛ-sarati, -sartum, to go forth, (apparently only occurring in the derivative below.)
- निसृत ni-sṛtaq.v., gone forth, gone away, disappeared; (ā), f. the plant Ipomœa Turpethum (=…
- निसृज् ni-sṛj-sṛjati, -sraṣṭum, to let go, set free, dismiss, (apparently only used in the derivatives…
- निसर्ग ni-sargaevacuation, voiding excrement; giving away, presenting, bestowing, granting, showing a…
- निसृष्ट ni-sṛṣṭadismissed, delivered, deposited, given, bestowed, emancipated; allowed, permitted…
- निसेवितव्य ni-sevitavyafor ni-ṣevitavya, q.v.
- निस्तक्ष् nis-takṣ-takṣati, etc., to form, create.
- निस्तत्त्व nis-tattvanot comprehended in the twenty-four Tattvas or principles, (see tattva.)
- निस्तनी ni-stanīa pill, bolus, a sort of force-meat ball.
- निस्तन्तु nis-tantuhaving no offspring, childless.
- निस्तन्द्र nis-tandraor nis-tandri, is, is, i, not lazy or listless, fresh, healthy.
- निस्तब्ध ni-stabdhaparalyzed, numbed, stiffened; stopped, fixed.
- निस्तम्भ ni-stambhaSee niḥ-stambha, p. 482, col. 2.
- निस्तमस्क nis-tamaskafree from darkness, not gloomy, light.
- निस्तरण nis-taraṇaetc. See under nis-tṝ, col. 2.
- निस्तर्क्य nis-tarkyaunimaginable, inconceivable.
- निस्तर्हण nis-tarhaṇacrushing, destroying, killing, slaughter.
- निस्तल nis-talanot flat, round, globular; trembling, shaking, moving; down, below.
- निस्तिमिर nis-timirafree from darkness, clear, light.
- निस्तुति ni-stutiSee under niḥ-stuti, p. 482.
- निस्तुद् nis-tud-tudati, -te, -tottum, to pierce, prick, sting.
- निस्तोद nis-todaor nistodana, am, n. pricking, piercing, stinging.
- निस्तुष nis-tuṣafreed from chaff or husk; (metaphorically) purified, cleansed; simplified.
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).