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 61 of 554
- अलति alatia kind of song.
- अलपत् a-lapatnot speaking.
- अलब्ध a-labdhaunobtained.
- अलभमान a-labhamānanot gaining, etc.
- अलभ्य a-labhyaunobtainable, unattainable.
- अलम् alamenough, sufficient, adequate, equal to, competent, able. (Alam may govern a dat., e.g…
- अलङ्कृ alaṅ-kṛ-karoti, -kartum, to prepare, make ready; to ornament, decorate; to prevent from, impede…
- अलङ्करण alaṅ-karaṇapreparation, the act of decorating, decoration; ornament.
- अलङ्करिष्णु alaṅ-kariṣṇufond of ornament; decorating, skilled in decorating; ornamented; (us), m. an epithet of…
- अलङ्कर्तृ alaṅ-kartṛdecorating, skilled in decoration, a decorator.
- अलङ्कर्मीण alaṅkarmīṇacompetent to any act, skilful, clever.
- अलङ्कार alaṅ-kārathe act of decorating; ornament, decoration; a figure or rhetorical expression.
- अलङ्कारक alaṅkārakaornament, decoration.
- अलङ्कृत alaṅ-kṛtaprepared, made ready; ornamented, adorned.
- अलङ्कृति alaṅ-kṛtiornament; rhetorical ornament, figure or rhetorical expression.
- अलङ्क्रिया alaṅ-kriyāadorning, ornamenting.
- अलङ्गामिन् alaṅ-gāmingoing after or following in due or proper manner.
- अलञ्जीविक alañ-jīvikasufficient for livelihood.
- अलञ्जुष alañ-juṣasufficient, adequate to.
- अलन्तम alan-tamaable, sufficient, having power.
- अलन्धन alan-dhanapossessing sufficient wealth.
- अलन्धूम alan-dhūmathick smoke, smoke enough.
- अलम्पट1 alam-paṭathe interior of a house; woman's apartment.
- अलम्पशु alam-paśuable to keep cattle.
- अलम्पुरुषीण alampuruṣīṇafit for a man, becoming a man; sufficient for a man.
- अलम्बल alam-balastrong enough, having sufficient power; an epithet of Śiva.
- अलम्भूष्णु alam-bhūṣṇuable, competent.
- अलम्पट2 a-lampaṭanot libidinous, chaste.
- अलम्बुष alambuṣathe palm of the hand with the fingers extended; vomiting; name of a Rākṣasa or evil…
- अलय a-layanon-dissolution, permanence; (as, ā, am), houseless, homeless; vagrant.
- अलर्क alarka(etymology doubtful), a mad dog or one rendered furious; a fabulous animal, like a hog…
- अलर्षि alarṣiSee s.v. ṛ.
- अलर्षिराति alarṣi-rātieager to bestow, ready to grant gifts, one whose gifts are granted quickly.
- अललाभवत् alalā-bhavatbecoming active or lively.
- अलले alalea word of no import occuring in the dialect or gibberish of the Piśācas, a class of imps…
- अलवाल a-lavālaor alavālaka, am, n. a basin for water at the root of a tree.
- अलस् a-lasnot shining.
- अलस a-lasainactive, without energy, lazy, idle, indolent, tired, faint; (as), m. sore or ulcer…
- अलसक a-lasakaindolent; (as), m. tympanitis, flatulence, intumescence of the abdomen, with constipation…
- अलास्य a-lāsyaidle, lazy.
- अलाण्डु alāṇḍuname of a small noxious insect or other animal.
- अलात alātaa fire-brand, coal.
- अलातृण a-lātṛṇanot granting anything; a cloud.
- अलाबु a-lābuor ū, ūs, f., the bottle-gourd, Lagernaria Vulgaris Ser; (us, u), m. n. a vessel made of…
- अलाभ a-lābhanonacquirement; loss.
- अलाय्य alāyyaepithet of Indra or name of a man; an assailant.
- अलार alāraa door.
- अलास a-lāsainflammation and abscess at the root of the tongue.
- अलास्य a-lāsyaSee a-lasa above.
- अलि alia crow; the Indian cuckoo; a scorpion; a large black bee; spirituous liquor.
- अलिन् alina scorpion; a large black bee.
- अलिनी alinīa swarm of bees.
- अलिंश aliṃśaa kind of demon.
- अलिक alikathe forehead.
- अलिक्लव aliklavaa kind of carrion bird.
- अलिगर्द aligardaa snake. See alagarda.
- अलिङ्ग a-liṅgaabsence of marks; (as, ā, am), having no marks; (in gram.) having no gender.
- अलिङ्गिन् a-liṅginan impostor, a pretended ascetic or student, one wearing the usual frontal marks, skin…
- अलिञ्जर aliñjaraa small earthen water-jar.
- अलिन alinaname of a tribe (?).
- अलिन्द alindaor alindaka, as, m., a terrace before a house-door; (ās), pl., name of a people.
- अलिपक alipakaa dog; the Indian cuckoo; a bee.
- अलिप्सा a-lipsāfreedom from desire or cupidity.
- अलिमक alimakaor alimpaka or alimbaka, as, m. the Indian cuckoo; a frog; a bee; name of the plant…
- अलीक alīkaunpleasing, disagreeable; untrue, false; small, little; (am), n. anything displeasing…
- अलीकयु alīkayuname of a Brāhman.
- अलीकाय alīkāyaalīkāyate, -yitum, to be deceived.
- अलीकिन् alīkindisagreeable; false, deceiving.
- अलीक्य alīkyabelonging to falsehood, false.
- अलीगर्द alīgardaa snake. See aligarda.
- अलु alua small water-pot. See ālu.
- अलुप्त a-luptanot cut off, undiminished.
- अलुब्ध a-lubdhaor a-lubhyat, an, antī, at, Vedic moderate, content, not covetous.
- अलोभ a-lobhanon-confusion; right process (?); absence of cupidity, moderation.
- अलोभिन् a-lobhinnot wanting or desiring anything.
- अलूक्ष a-lūkṣasoft. See a-rūkṣa.
- अलून a-lūnauncut, unshorn.
- अले aleor alele, ind. unmeaning words in the dialect of the demons or Piśācas, introduced in…
- अलेपक a-lepakastainless.
- अलेश a-leśanot little, much, large; (am), ind. not at all.
- अलोक a-lokanot the world; the end of the world; the immaterial or spiritual world; not the people…
- अलोकन a-lokanainvisibility, disappearance.
- अलोकनीय a-lokanīyainvisible, imperceptible.
- अलोकित a-lokitaunseen.
- अलोक्य a-lokyaunusual, unallowed.
- अलौकिक a-laukikanot current in the world, not relating to this world, uncommon, supernatural; (in gram.)…
- अलोपाङ्ग a-lopāṅganot defective in a single limb.
- अलोमहर्षण a-lomaharṣaṇanot causing erection of the hair of the body (from joy).
- अलोल a-lolaunagitated, firm, steady, tranquil; (ā), f., name of a metre containing four lines, each…
- अलोलु a-loluindifferent to sensual objects.
- अलोलुत्व alolu-tvaindifference to sensual objects.
- अलोलुप a-lolupafree from desire; not greedy or covetous, apathetic.
- अलोह alohaname of a person? (Gaṇa to Pāṇini IV. 2, 97).
- अलोहित a-lohitabloodless, (am), n. Nymphæa Rubra.
- अलौकिक a-laukikaSee above.
- अल्क alka(a doubtful word), a tree; a member of the body.
- अल्प alpaperhaps connected with arbha), small, minute, trifling; little; seldom, rare; of short…
- अल्पक alpakasmall, minute, trifling; (am), ind. little; (as), m., name of a plant, Hedysarum Alhagi.
- अल्पित alpitadiminished.
- अल्पिष्ठ alpiṣṭhaleast, smallest, very small.
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).