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 29 of 554
- अनुस्यूत anu-syūtaor anu-ṣyūta, as, ā, am, sewed consecutively, strung together or connected regularly and…
- अनुस्रयामन् an-usra-yāmannot going (in a waggon drawn) by oxen.
- अनुस्वान anu-svānasounding conformably.
- अनुस्वार anu-svāraaftersound, the nasal sound which is marked by a dot above the line, and which always…
- अनुह anuhaname of a son of Vibhrātra and father of Brahma-datta.
- अनुहव anu-havainviting, stirring up.
- अनुहा anu-hā-jihīte, hātum, to grant.
- अनुहुङ्कृ anu-huṅ-kṛ-kurute, -kartum, to roar in imitation of.
- अनुहृ anu-hṛ-harati, -hartum, to imitate, to exhibit; A. -harate, to take after (one's parents).
- अनुहरण anu-haraṇaor anu-hāra, as, m. imitation; resemblance.
- अनुहरत् anu-haratimitating; (an), m., name of a man (?); (the deriv. ānuhārati takes Vṛddhi in both…
- अनुहरमाण anu-haramāṇaimitating.
- अनुहारक anu-hārakaimitating.
- अनुहार्य anu-hāryato be imitated; (as), m. monthly obsequies on the day of the new moon.
- अनुहोड anu-hoḍaa cart (?); (the deriv. ānuhauḍika, takes Vṛddhi in both members.)
- अनुह्राद anu-hrādaor anu-hlāda, as, m., name of a son of Hiraṇya-kaśipu.
- अनूक anūkathe backbone, spine; the back part of the altar; a former state of existence; (am), n…
- अनूक्य anūkyabackbone; flesh on the skull.
- अनूकाश anū-kāśareflection (of light), clearness; regard, reference.
- अनूक्ष् anūkṣanūkṣate, -kṣitum, to sprinkle, bedew.
- अनूचीन anūcīnacoming after, successive; anūcīnāham, on the following day.
- अनूच्य1 anūcyathe board on the side of a couch. (For 2. anūcya, see below.)
- अनूच्यते anūcyateof anuvac, q.v., p. 38.
- अनूक्त anūktaspoken after, recited after; occurring in the (sacred) text; studied; (am), n. = the next.
- अनूक्ति anūktimentioning after, repeated mention, repetition by way of explanation; study of the Veda.
- अनूचान anūcānadevoted to study; one so well versed in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas as to be able to repeat…
- अनूच्य2 anūcyato be studied.
- अनूज्जि anūj-ji-jayati, -jetum, to follow in being victorious.
- अनूढ an-ūḍhanot borne, not carried; unmarried; (ā), f. an unmarried woman.
- अनूति an-ūtinot helping, not coming to aid.
- अनूत्क्रम् anūt-kram-krāmati, -kramitum, to follow in going up or out.
- अनूत्त anūttagiven back.
- अनूत्था anūtthāanūttiṣṭhat, anūtthātum, of follow in rising; Vedic to approach.
- अनूत्पत् anūt-pat-patati, -titum, to fly up after another (with acc.), raise one's self into the air, jump…
- अनूत्पा anūt-pā-pibati, -pātum, to empty by drinking after another.
- अनूदक an-ūdaka(for an-udaka), want of water, aridity.
- अनूदस् anūd-as-asyati, -situm, to toss up behind or after.
- अनूदि anūd-i-eti, -tum, to follow in going up or out.
- अनूदित anūditaspoken after, spoken according to.
- अनूद्य1 anūdyato be spoken to afterwards or in reply to.
- अनूद्य2 anūdyahaving said in reply.
- अनूद्यमान anūdyamānaspoken in reply to, according to.
- अनूदे anūd-eanūdaiti, -tum, to follow in coming up or rising.
- अनूद्देश anūddeśadescribing, mentioning according to or conformably with.
- अनूधस् an-ūdhasudderless.
- अनून an-ūnaor an-ūnaka, as, ā, am, whole, entire; having full power; not less, not inferior; (ā)…
- अनून्नी anūn-nī-nayati, -netum, to take out and fill after another.
- अनूप1 anūpasituated near the water, watery, wet, a watery country; (as), m. pond, bank of a river; a…
- अनूप्य anūpyabeing in ponds or bogs (as water).
- अनूप2 anūpabestowing in order. (For. 1. anūpa, see above.)
- अनूपदस् anūpa-das-dasyati, -situm, to fail (or become extinct) in consequence.
- अनूपसदम् anūpasadamat every Upasad (a kind of religious ceremony).
- अनूबन्ध्य anū-bandhyato be fastened (as a sacrificial animal); see also anu-bandhya, p. 37.
- अनूयाज anū-yājaSee anu-yāja, p. 37.
- अनूराध anū-rādhacausing welfare, happiness; (ā), f. =anu-rādhā, q.v., p. 38.
- अनूरु an-ūruthighless; (us), m. the charioteer of the sun, the dawn.
- अनूर्जित an-ūrjitanot strong, weak; not proud.
- अनूर्ध्व an-ūrdhvanot high, low.
- अनूर्मि an-ūrminot waving, not fluctuating; inviolable.
- अनूला anūlāname of a river in Kāśmīra.
- अनूवृज् anū-vṛj(?), Vedic a part of the body near the ribs.
- अनूषर1 an-ūṣarasaline.
- अनूषर2 an-ūṣaranot saline.
- अनूषित anūṣitaliving near another.
- अनूष्मपर an-ūṣma-para(in gram.) not followed by a sibilant.
- अनूह an-ūhathoughtless, careless.
- अनृक्क an-ṛkkaSee an-ṛc below.
- अनृक्षर an-ṛkṣarathornless (as a path or a couch).
- अनृच् an-ṛcor an-ṛca, as, ā, am, not containing a verse from the Ṛg-veda, hymnless, not conversant…
- अनृक्क an-ṛkkaor an-ṛcka, as, ā, am, containing no Ṛc.
- अनृजु an-ṛjunot straight, crooked, perverse, wicked.
- अनृण an-ṛṇafree from debt.
- अनृणिन् an-ṛṇinunindebted, free from debt.
- अनृत an-ṛtanot true, false; (am), n. falsehood, lying, cheating; agriculture.
- अनृतिन् anṛtinone who tells untruths, lying, a liar.
- अनृतु an-ṛtuunfit season.
- अनृशंस a-nṛśaṃsanot cruel, mild.
- अनेक an-ekanot one, many, much; separated.
- अनेकाकिन् an-ekākinnot alone, accompanied by.
- अनेकान्त an-ekāntanot alone and excluding every other, uncertain.
- अनेकीकरण anekī-karaṇamaking manifold.
- अनेकीभवत् anekī-bhavatbeing manifold, i.e. divided in two.
- अनेकीय anekīyahaving several.
- अनेजत् an-ejatnot moving, immoveable.
- अनेड an-eḍa(an being an expletive or denoting comparison), stupid, foolish.
- अनेडमूक an-eḍa-mūkadeaf and dumb; blind; wicked, fraudulent.
- अनेद्य1 a-nedyanot to be blamed.
- अनेद्य2 a-nedyanot near, infinite.
- अनेन1 an-ena(according to native authorities) sinless, faultless; (according to German scholars)…
- अनेनस् an-enasblameless, sinless, not liable to error; name of various personages.
- अनेनस्य an-enasyafreedom from fault, sin.
- अनेन2 anenathis doubtful word may signify one who has no superior, ‘a sovereign or paramount lord;’…
- अनेमन् a-nemanto be praised.
- अनेव an-evaotherwise (?), or (?).
- अनेहस् an-ehaswithout a rival, incomparable, unattainable; unmenaced, unobstructed; (ā), m. time.
- अनैकान्त an-aikāntavariable, unsteady; (in logic) occasional, as a cause not invariably attended by the same…
- अनैकान्तिक an-aikāntikaunsteady, variable, having many objects or purposes.
- अनैक्य an-aikya(eka), want of oneness, plurality, the existence of many; want of union, anarchy.
- अनैपुण a-naipuṇaor a-naipuṇya, am, n. unskilfulness. See ānaipuṇa.
- अनैश्वर्य an-aiśvaryaweakness. See ānaiśvarya.
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).