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 69 of 554
- अवाप्य1 avāpyahaving obtained.
- अवाप्य2 avāpyato be obtained or gained; unattainable, unobtainable (?).
- अवापित a-vāpitanot sown (as grain) but planted.
- अवापोह् avāpohavāpohati, -te, -hitum, to remove.
- अवाय avāyagiving way, yielding, complying.
- अवार avārathis side, the near bank of a river.
- अवारीण avārīṇacrossing a river.
- अवार्य1 avāryabeing on the near side of a river.
- अवारण a-vāraṇaincurable, not to be remedied.
- अवारणीय1 avāraṇīyatreating of incurable sicknesses.
- अवारणीय2 a-vāraṇīyanot to be warded off.
- अवारिका avārikāname of the plant Coriandrum Sativum.
- अवारित a-vāritaunimpeded, unobstructed; innumerable.
- अवारितव्य a-vāritavyanot to be impeded or hindered, not to be kept off.
- अवार्य2 a-vāryaunrestrainable, irresistible; not to be warded off; incurable.
- अवार्छ् avārchavārcchati, -cchitum, to unharness, to fall down.
- अवार्ज् avārjavārjati, -jitum, to dismiss.
- अवालोच् avā-loc-locate, -citum, to consider.
- अवावट avāvaṭathe son of a woman by any other man than her first husband.
- अवावन् avāvana thief.
- अवाश्य a-vāśyaundesirable.
- अवास् avāsavāsyati, situm, to throw down.
- अवासस् a-vāsasunclothed, naked.
- अवास्तव a-vāstavaor a-vāstavika, as, ī, am, unsubstantial, unreal; fictitious; unfounded, irrational (as…
- अवास्तु a-vāstuhaving no dwelling, homeless.
- अवाहन a-vāhanahaving no no team or carriage, not driving in a carriage.
- अवि avifavourable, attached to, kindly disposed; (is), m. f. a sheep; the woollen Soma strainer…
- अविक avikaa sheep; (ā), f. an ewe; (am), n. a diamond.
- अविकट avikaṭaa flock of sheep.
- अविता avitāan ewe, a sheep.
- अविथ्य avithyaSee below, s.v.
- अविकच a-vikacaclosed, shut (as a flower).
- अविकचित a-vikacitaunblown.
- अविकथ a-vikathanot boasting, not talking vainly or idly.
- अविकथन a-vikathanaone who does not boast; (am), n. not boasting.
- अविकर्ष a-vikarṣaabsence of separation.
- अविकृष्ट a-vikṛṣṭanot drawn apart, not separated.
- अविकल a-vikalaunimpaired, perfect, entire; regular, orderly, consistent.
- अविकल्प a-vikalpaabsence of doubt or alternative, positive act or precept; (as, ā, am), unchangeable…
- अविकार a-vikāraor a-vikārya, as, ā, am, immutable, unchangeable; permanent; (am), n. unchangeableness.
- अविकृत a-vikṛtaunchanged, permanent.
- अविक्रिय a-vikriyashowing no alteration or difference, unchangeable, always alike.
- अविक्रम a-vikramapowerless, feeble, without courage; (as), m. cowardice.
- अविक्रान्त a-vikrāntaunsurpassed; feeble, powerless.
- अविक्रय a-vikrayanon-sale.
- अविक्रीत a-vikrītaunsold; one who has not sold.
- अविक्रेय a-vikreyaunsaleable, not to be sold.
- अविक्लम a-viklamavigour, freshness, absence of fatigue.
- अविक्लान्त a-viklāntaunwearied, vigorous.
- अविक्लव a-viklavacalm, composed, firm.
- अविक्षत a-vikṣataundiminished, entire; unhurt.
- अविक्षित् a-vikṣitname of a king.
- अविक्षित a-vikṣitaundiminished, unhurt.
- अविक्षिप a-vikṣipaunable to distribute, dispense, etc.; distributing badly; different from one who…
- अविक्षिप्त a-vikṣiptanot thrown away, retained; attentive, composed.
- अविक्षोभ a-vikṣobhaquiet, quiescence.
- अविक्षोभित a-vikṣobhitaundisturbed, tranquil.
- अविखण्डित a-vikhaṇḍitaundisturbed.
- अविगत a-vigataunseparated, retained, present.
- अविगम a-vigamaunseparated, unremoved; (as), m. non-separation, association, inherence, presence.
- अविगर्हित a-vigarhitaunreproached.
- अविगीत a-vigītauncensured, unreproached.
- अविगुण a-viguṇacompatible, consistent with, not contrary to.
- अविग्न a-vignaname of the fruit tree Carissa Carandas L.
- अविग्रह a-vigrahabodiless, incorporeal.
- अविघात a-vighātaunimpended, having no obstacle.
- अविघ्न a-vighnauninterrupted, unimpeded; (am), n. undisturbedness, want of obstacle; avighnena, ind…
- अविचक्षण a-vicakṣaṇaunlearned, ignorant.
- अविचल a-vicalaimmoveable.
- अविचाचल a-vicācalaor a-vicācalat, at, atī, at, or a-vicācali, is, is, i, Vedic not staggering or…
- अविचार a-vicāraundiscriminating, ill-judging, unwise; unhesitating, prompt; (as), m. want of judgement…
- अविचारित a-vicāritaill-judged, badly investigated, unconsidered; determined, certain, clear, not requiring…
- अविचारिन् a-vicārinunthinking, inconsiderate.
- अविचार्य a-vicāryawithout considering, inconsiderately, unreflectingly.
- अविचालित a-vicālitaunmoved; unshaken; victorious.
- अविचृत्य a-vicṛtyanot to be loosened.
- अविचेतन a-vicetanaunintelligible.
- अविच्छिन्न a-vicchinnaunseparated, undivided, uninterrupted.
- अविच्छेद a-vicchedauninterrupted; undivided, entire, whole; (as), m. the not being separated, entireness…
- अविच्युत a-vicyutanot deviated from, observed, followed; eternal, permanent.
- अविजात a-vijātanot having brought forth, not having offspring.
- अविजातीय a-vijātīyaof the same species.
- अविजानत् a-vijānatnot understanding.
- अविज्ञ a-vijñaignorant, untaught; clumsy, stupid.
- अविज्ञात a-vijñātaunknown; undistinguished, unintelligible, indistinct, doubtful.
- अविज्ञाय a-vijñāyanot having understood, without distinguishing.
- अविज्ञेय a-vijñeyaundistinguishable, undiscernible, unintelligible, not to be recognized or known.
- अविजित्य a-vijityanot having conquered.
- अविडीन a-viḍīnaa direct flight.
- अवित avitapreserved, protected.
- अवितृ avitṛa favourer, patron, protector.
- अवितथ a-vitathanot untrue, true; not vain, not false or futile; effective; (am), n. truth; a species of…
- अवितारिन् a-vitārinnot passing away, not departing, remaining.
- अवितृप्त a-vitṛptaunsatisfied.
- अवितृप्तकाम avitṛpta-kāmahaving the desires unsatisfied.
- अवित्त a-vittanot found; unknown, poor.
- अवित्ति a-vittithe not finding, the not possessing, poverty.
- अवित्यज a-vityajaquicksilver.
- अविथुर a-vithuranot staggering; not fragile.
- अविथ्य avithyafit or suited to a sheep.
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).