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 49 of 554
- अभिशस्त2 abhi-śastainjured, hurt, attacked.
- अभिशस्तृ abhi-śastṛan injurer, an enemy.
- अभिशस्त abhiśastaSee abhi-śaṃs and abhi-śas.
- अभिशान्त्व् abhi-śāntv-śāntva-yati, -yitum, to pacify, appease, reconcile, comfort. See abhi-sāntv.
- अभिशन्त्व abhi-śantvagraciousness, complaisance.
- अभिशीत abhi-śītaor abhi-śyāta, as, ā, am, cold, chilly.
- अभिसीन abhi-sīnaor abhi-śyāna, as, ā, am, coagulated, congealed.
- अभिशोक1 abhi-śokaintense grief. 1. abhi-śoca, as, ā, am, Vedic causing great grief.
- अभिशोचन abhi-śocanagreat grief, pain; a tormenting spirit or demon.
- अभिशोचयिष्णु1 abhi-śocayiṣṇutormenting.
- अभिशोक2 abhi-śokaardour.
- अभिशोच2 abhi-śocashining, glowing with heat.
- अभिशोचयिष्णु2 abhi-śocayiṣṇuglowing with heat.
- अभिशौरि abhi-śauritowards Śauri or Kṛṣṇa.
- अभिश्रवण abhi-śravaṇarepeating Vedic texts, sitting down to a Śrāddha.
- अभिश्राव abhi-śrāvahearing, becoming renowned.
- अभिश्रि abhi-śri-śrayati, -yitum, to resort to.
- अभिश्री abhi-śrījoining, connecting one's self with, mixing; combining, holding together, arranging…
- अभिश्रिष् abhi-śriṣor abhi-śliṣ, ṭ, Vedic a ligature.
- अभिश्लेषण abhi-śleṣaṇaa bandage, ligature.
- अभिश्वस् abhi-śvasone who breathes upon or towards.
- अभिश्वस abhi-śvasabreathing forth or on, eructation.
- अभिश्वास abhi-śvāsabreathing upon or towards, blowing into a flame.
- अभिषञ्ज् abhi-ṣañj-ṣajati, -ṣaṅktum, to be in contact with; to revile, curse.
- अभिषक्त abhi-ṣaktapossessed by evil spirits, humiliated, defeated, reviled, cursed.
- अभिषङ्ग abhi-ṣaṅgaor abhi-ṣañjana, am, n. complete contact, union; connection, copulation, association…
- अभिषङ्गज्वर abhiṣaṅga-jvaraa fever supposed to be caused by evil spirits.
- अभिषव abhi-ṣavaSee abhi-ṣu.
- अभिषह् abhi-ṣah-ṣahate, -hitum or -ṣoḍhum, to attack.
- अभिषह्य abhi-ṣahyaviolently, by force, insolently.
- अभिषाच् abhi-ṣācfollowing; honouring, paying attention to, devoted; defeating.
- अभिषिच् abhi-ṣic-ṣiñcati, -te, -ṣektum, to sprinkle; to water, wet; to consecrate, anoint, appoint by…
- अभिषिक्त abhi-ṣiktasprinkled; anointed, installed, inaugurated, enthroned.
- अभिषिषिक्षत् abhi-ṣiṣikṣatdesiring to inaugurate.
- अभिषेक abhi-ṣekasprinkling, anointing; inaugurating or consecrating by sprinkling water; inauguration of…
- अभिषेक्तृ abhi-ṣektṛan anointer, one who inaugurates.
- अभिषेचन abhi-ṣecanasprinkling; initiation, inauguration.
- अभिषेचनीय abhi-ṣecanīyaor abhi-ṣecya or abhi-ṣekya, as, ā, am, worthy of inauguration; belonging to…
- अभिषेचित abhi-ṣecitacaused to be sprinkled, inaugurated.
- अभिषु abhi-ṣu-ṣuṇoti, -ṣotum, to express the Soma juice or any other juice; to moisten.
- अभिषव abhi-ṣavaor abhi-ṣavaṇa, am, n. pressing out the juice of the Soma plant; distillation; religious…
- अभिषवणी abhi-ṣavaṇīan apparatus for pressing the Soma.
- अभिषवणीय abhi-ṣavaṇīyato be expressed as Soma juice.
- अभिषावक abhi-ṣāvakaor abhi-ṣotṛ, tā, m. the priest or any one who expresses the Soma juice.
- अभिषावकीय abhi-ṣāvakīya-yati, -yitum, to long for such a priest.
- अभिषुत abhi-ṣutaexpressed as Soma juice; (am), n. sour gruel.
- अभिषुक abhi-ṣukaname of a plant.
- अभिषेण abhi-ṣeṇaapproaching as an enemy with an army; directing arrows against.
- अभिषेणन abhi-ṣeṇanamarch to attack or repel an enemy.
- अभिषेणय abhi-ṣeṇaya-ṣeṇayati, -yitum, to approach with an army, to march with an army against the enemy.
- अभिषो abhi-ṣo-ṣyati, -ṣātum, to put an end to, to destroy.
- अभिष्यत् abhi-ṣyatdestroying, killing.
- अभिष्टन abhi-ṣṭanaroaring, bawling, a shout.
- अभिष्टि abhi-ṣṭian assistant, a protector; one who is to be praised or worshipped (as a protector); one…
- अभिष्टु abhi-ṣṭu-ṣṭauti, -ṣṭotum, to praise, extol.
- अभिष्टव abhi-ṣṭavapraise, eulogy.
- अभिष्टुत abhi-ṣṭutapraised.
- अभिष्टुवत् abhi-ṣṭuvatpraising.
- अभिष्ठा abhi-ṣṭhā-tiṣṭhati, -ṣṭhātum, to trample upon, destroy.
- अभिष्यत् abhi-ṣyatSee under abi-ṣo.
- अभिष्यन्द abhi-ṣyandaor abhi-syanda, as, m., oozing or flowing; weakness of or running at the eyes; great…
- अभिष्यन्दिन् abhi-ṣyandinor abhi-syandin, ī, inī, i, oozing, trickling; laxative; causing defluxions or serous…
- अभिष्वङ्ग abhi-ṣvaṅgaintense attachment or affection.
- अभिसंयोग abhi-saṃyogaintimate union, close contact.
- अभिसंरभ् abhi-saṃ-rabh-rabhate, -rabdhum, to support one's self on.
- अभिसंरुध् abhi-saṃ-rudh-ruṇaddhi, -roddhum, to ward off.
- अभिसंवृत abhi-saṃvṛtacovered, clad, clothed.
- अभिसंशीन abhi-saṃśīnaor abhi-saṃśyāna, as, ā, am, coagulated, congealed.
- अभिसंश्रय abhi-saṃśrayarefuge.
- अभिसंसार abhi-saṃsāraapproaching together or in multitudes; (am), ind. having approached together.
- अभिसंस्कृ abhi-saṃs-kṛ-karoti, -kartum, to shape, form; to make, render; to consecrate.
- अभिसंस्कार abhi-saṃskāraimagination; vain or profitless performance.
- अभिसंस्तम्भ् abhi-saṃ-stambh-stabhnoti, -stambhitum, to support, render firm.
- अभिसंस्तव abhi-saṃstavapraise, praising highly.
- अभिसंस्तुत abhi-saṃstutahighly praised.
- अभिसंस्पृश् abhi-saṃ-spṛś-spṛś-ati, -spraṣṭum, -sparṣṭum, to wash one's self.
- अभिसंस्मृ abhi-saṃ-smṛ-smarati, -smartum, to recollect.
- अभिसंहन् abhi-saṃ-han-hanti, -tum, to surround, enclose.
- अभिसंहत abhi-saṃhatajoined, united.
- अभिसंहित abhisaṃhitaSee under abhi-sandhā.
- अभिसङ्क्रुध् abhi-saṅ-krudh-krudhyati, -kroddhum, to be angry with.
- अभिसङ्क्रुद्ध abhi-saṅkruddhaangry with (with genitive).
- अभिसङ्क्रुध्यत् abhi-saṅkrudhyatbeing angry with (with acc.).
- अभिसङ्क्रुश् abhi-saṅ-kruś-krośati, -kroṣṭum, to call out to.
- अभिसङ्क्षिप् abhi-saṅ-kṣip-kṣipati, -kṣeptum, to compress, to crowd together in a small space.
- अभिसङ्क्षिप्त abhi-saṅkṣiptathrown together or at; casting, throwing, shooting, aiming or aimed at.
- अभिसङ्क्षेप abhi-saṅkṣepacompressing, comprehending.
- अभिसङ्ख्या abhi-saṅ-khyā-khyāti, -tum, to enumerate; infer.
- अभिसङ्ख्य abhi-saṅkhyainferable, clearly ascertainable.
- अभिसङ्ख्येय abhi-saṅkhyeyato be enumerated.
- अभिसङ्गम् abhi-saṅ-gam-gacchati, -gantum, to approach together; to join in welcoming; to meet with.
- अभिसङ्गुप्त abhi-saṅguptaguarded, protected.
- अभिसङ्गॄ abhi-saṅ-gṝ-gṛṇāti, -ṇīte, -garitum, -rītum, to promise.
- अभिसङ्ग्रह् abhi-saṅ-grah-gṛhṇāti, -ṇīte, -grahītum, to grasp at once with all the fingers.
- अभिसच् abhi-sac-sacate, -citum, to follow; to revere, favour.
- अभिसञ्चर् abhi-sañ-car-carati, -ritum, Vedic -ritave, -rase, -radhyai, to go up to, to seek for, to move or…
- अभिसञ्चारिन् abhi-sañcārinmoving in every direction, inconstant, changeable.
- अभिसञ्चि abhi-sañ-ci-cinoti, -nute, -cetum, to arrange with reference to (anything).
- अभिसञ्चिन्त् abhi-sañ-cint-cintayati, -yitum, to remember.
- अभिसञ्जात abhi-sañjātaproduced, coming into existence.
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).