Sanskrit

[ san-skrit ]

noun
  1. an Indo-European, Indic language, in use since c1200 b.c. as the religious and classical literary language of India. Abbreviations: Skt, Skt., Skr., Skrt

adjective
  1. Also San·skrit·ic . of or relating to Sanskrit.

Origin of Sanskrit

1
First recorded in 1610–20; from Sanskrit saṃskṛta “adorned, perfected”; cf. Prakrit, Pali
  • Also Older Spelling, San·scrit .

Other words from Sanskrit

  • San·skrit·ist, noun
  • non-San·skrit·ic, adjective

Words Nearby Sanskrit

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How to use Sanskrit in a sentence

  • This island was small at first, like earth in the Sanskrit myth in the Satapatha Brahmana, but gradually increased in bulk.

  • Etymology: A Sanskrit word signifying happiness, pleasure, good luck.

    The Swastika | Thomas Wilson
  • It must have been in existence long before the Buddhist religion or the Sanskrit language.

    The Swastika | Thomas Wilson
  • When it became evident that this view of Sanskrit was untenable, they began to locate the centre in Europe.

  • It is believed that these Pracrits represented certain local dialects, as opposed to the purer and more classical Sanskrit.

British Dictionary definitions for Sanskrit

Sanskrit

/ (ˈsænskrɪt) /


noun
  1. an ancient language of India, the language of the Vedas, of Hinduism, and of an extensive philosophical and scientific literature dating from the beginning of the first millennium bc. It is the oldest recorded member of the Indic branch of the Indo-European family of languages; recognition of the existence of the Indo-European family arose in the 18th century from a comparison of Sanskrit with Greek and Latin. Although it is used only for religious purposes, it is one of the official languages of India

Origin of Sanskrit

1
C17: from Sanskrit samskrta perfected, literally: put together

Derived forms of Sanskrit

  • Sanskritist, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for Sanskrit

Sanskrit

The language of ancient India, and one of the oldest languages of the Indo-European family, to which English belongs.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.