Sanskrit

American  

[san-skrit] / ˈsæn skrɪt /

Older Spelling, Sanscrit

noun

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

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adjective

1. Also Sanskritic of or relating to Sanskrit.

Sanskrit British  

/ 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

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Sanskrit Cultural  

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

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Other Word Forms

• Sanskritist noun
• non-Sanskritic adjective

Etymology

Origin of Sanskrit

First recorded in 1610–20; from Sanskrit saṃskṛta “adorned, perfected”; Prakrit ( def. ), Pali ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does sanskrit compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Sanskrit vs. Hindi

Example Sentences

The Himalayan cedar is regarded as a holy tree in its native country and its Sanskrit name means "wood of the gods".

From BBC

She studied Sanskrit, but her research in University of Chicago spanned Indian and European languages - French, German, Marathi, and Hindi - and touched on linguistics, literature, philosophy, anthropology, and more.

From BBC

He pointed to a lotus flower emblazoned on the red shirt and explained that “Kamala” means “lotus” in Sanskrit.

From Los Angeles Times

“She’s both Black and Indian American,” said Shah, a healthcare consultant, pointing to multiple markers of Harris’ Indian heritage, starting with her middle name, Devi — Sanskrit for goddess.

From Los Angeles Times

Shivkumar is a big thinker, an erudite physician quick with an apt quotation, whose Westwood office is stacked with Sanskrit volumes of the Mahabharata alongside books about late Bruins basketball coach John Wooden.

From Los Angeles Times