List of Sanskrit and Persian roots in Hindi#
| Root | English Equivalent | Origin language | Etymology | Hindi examples |
|---|
| अग्नि- (agni-) | pyro-,ignite(Latin)- | Sanskrit | अग्नि (fire) | अग्निशामक (agniśāmak) = fire extinguisher; अग्निरोधक (agnirōdhak) = Fire proof; अग्निभीति (agnibhīti) = pyrophobia |
| -अणु (-aɳu) | | Sanskrit | अणु (minute, particle, atomic) | प्राणु (prāɳu) = proton; धनाणु (dhanāɳu) = positron; विषाणु (vishāɳu) = virus |
| अति- (ati-) | super- | Sanskrit | अति (extremely, beyond, over) | अतिकाल (atikāl) = delay |
| अधि- (adhi-) | epi-, meta- | Sanskrit | अधि (over, above, upon, after) | अधिकार (adhikār) = rights, authority |
| अन- (an-), अ- (a-) | non-, un-, a-, an- | Sanskrit | अन-, अ- (not, without) | अकारण (akāraɳ) = causeless, unprovoked; अनादर (anaadar) = disrespect |
| अनु- (anu-) | | Sanskrit | अनु (along, orderly, accordingly) | अनुक्रम (anukram) = sequence |
| अम्ल- (aml-) | acid- | Sanskrit | अम्ल (acid) | अम्लप्रेमी(amlapremī) = acidophile |
| अप- (ap-) | ab- | Sanskrit | अप (away, off) | अपमान (apmān) = insult |
| अभि- (abhi-) | ambi-/ἀμφί- | Sanskrit | अभि (to, towards, into, over, upon) | अभिज्ञान (abhijñyān) = recognition, identification |
| -अर्बुद (arbud) | -oma, onco- | Sanskrit | अर्बुद (tumor, swelling) | लसीकार्बुद (lasīkārbud) = lymphoma; अर्बुदविज्ञान (arbudvijñān) = oncology |
| अव- (av-) | | Sanskrit | अव (down, off, away) | अवरोध (avarodh) = barrier, inhibition; अवगुण (avguɳ) = failing, fault, demerit |
| अर्ध- (ardha-) | semi-, demi-, | Sanskrit | अर्ध (half) | अर्धचालक (ardhachālak) = semiconductor; अर्धपारगम्य (ardhapārgamya) = semipermeable |
| आत्म- (ātma-) | auto-, self- | Sanskrit | आत्मा (self) | आत्महत्या (ātmahatyā) = suicide; आत्मज्ञान (ātmajñān) = self-knowledge; आत्मकथा (ātmakathā) = autobiography |
| अष्ट- (aṣṭa-) | octo- | Sanskrit | अष्ट (eight) | अष्टकोण (aṣṭakōṇ) = octagon; अष्टपदी (aṣṭapadī) = octave; अष्टभुज (aṣṭabhuj) = octopus |
The following is an alphabetical (according to Hindi’s alphabet) list of Sanskrit and Persian roots), stems, prefixes, and suffixes commonly used in Hindi.
आ (aa)#
| | | | |
|---|
| -आना (-ānā) | Adjective-forming. -ish, -ous, -ly. | Persian | انه (âneh) | दोस्ताना (dostānā) = friendly; फ़क़ीराना (faqīrānā) = austere, ascetic. |
| आप-/अप- (aap-/ap-) | aqua- | Sanskrit | आप (water) | अप्सरा; अब्ज |
| आब- (aab-) | aqua- | Persian | آب (aab) (water) | आबखोरा (ābkhorā) = mug, pot; आबहवा (ābhavā) = climate; पंजाब (Panjāb) = Punjab (Land of five Rivers) |
उ (u)#
| | | | |
|---|
| उद- (ud-) | hydro- | Sanskrit | उद (water) | उदजन (udjan) = hydrogen |
| उभय- (ubhaya-) | ambi-, amphi- | Sanskrit | उभय (both) | उभयभावी (ubhayabhāvī) = ambivalent; उभयलिंगी (ubhayalingī) = bisexual; उभयचर (ubhayachar) = amphibian |
| उप- (up-) | sub- | Sanskrit | उप (below, subsidiary, towards) | उपवन (upvan) = orchard, park; उपमार्ग (upmārg) = bypass, side street; उपमहाद्वीप (upmahādvīp) = subcontinent |
ए (e)#
| | | | |
|---|
| एक- (ek-) | uni-, mono- | Sanskrit | एक (one) | एकभाषी (ekbhāshī) = monolingual; एकपक्षीय (ekpakshīya) = unilateral; एकवर्णी (ekvarnī) = monochromatic |
अं (am/an)#
| | | | |
|---|
| अंतः- (antaha-) | inter-, endo- | Sanskrit | अंतः (in, inside) | अंतःकरण (antahakaraɳ) = conscience |
| अंतर- (antar-) | inter- | Sanskrit | अंतर् (in the middle, internal, amongst, within) | अंतर्राष्ट्रीय (antarrāṣtrīya) = international |
| अंश- (amsh-) | | Sanskrit | अंश (part, portion) | अंशकालिक (amśakālik) = part-time; अंशांकन (amśānkan) = calibration |
क (k)#
| | | | |
|---|
| कम- (kam-) | min- | Persian | کم (kam) (low, little, small) | कमज़ोर (kamzor) = weak |
| कठ- (kath-), काठ- (kaath-) | xylo- | Sanskrit | काष्ठ (kāṣth) (timber, wood) | कठफोड़वा (kathphodvā) = woodpecker ; काठमांडू (kāthmāndu) = Kathmandu |
| काष्ट- (kāṣt-) | xylo- | Sanskrit | काष्ठ (timber, wood) | काष्ठवाद्य (kāṣtavādya) = xylophone, काष्ठशर्करा (kāṣtasharkarā) = xylose |
| -काय (-kāya) | -some, -soma | Sanskrit | काय (Body) | लयनकाय (Layan****kāya) = Lysosome; कायिक (kāyik) = Somatic |
| -कोण (-kona) | -gon | Sanskrit | कोण (corner, angle) | त्रिकोण (trikona) = triangle; षट्कोण (ṣatakona) = hexagon |
ख (kh)#
| | | | |
|---|
| ख़ुद- (khud-) | auto-, sui- | Persian | خود (xod) (self, own, ego) | ख़ुदग़रज़ी (khudgarzī) = selfishness |
| ख़ुश- (khuś-) | good-, eu- | Persian | خوش (xoš) (good) | ख़ुशनसीब (khuśnasīb) = fortunate; ख़ुशफ़हमी (khuśfahmī) = fantasy (lit. good understanding) |
| ख़ून- (khoon-) | | Persian | خون (xun) (blood, gore) | ख़ूँखार(khūnkhār) = bloodthirsty |
ग (g)#
| | | | |
|---|
| गाव- (gaav-) | | Persian | گاو (gaav) (cow) | गावशुमारी (gaavśumārī) = cow census |
| ग़ैर- (ġair-) | non- | Arabic | غير (ghayr) (non-, un-) | ग़ैरमुल्की (ġairmulkī) = foreigner, non-native |
| गो- (go-) | | Sanskrit | गो (cow) | गोविन्द (govind) = cow herder |
च (c)#
| | | | |
|---|
| चल- (chal-) | | Sanskrit | चल (moving) | चलचित्र (chalchitra) = movie, motion picture |
| चित्र- (chitra-) | | Sanskrit | चित्र (picture) | चित्रयंत्र (citrayantra) = camera |
छ (ch)#
| | | | |
|---|
| छद्म- (chadm-) | pseudo- | Sanskrit | छद्म (deceptive) | छद्मावरण (chadmāvaraɳ) = camouflage |
ज (j)#
| | | | |
|---|
| -ज़दा (-zadā) | Adjective forming, denoting “stricken, afflicted” | Persian | زده (beaten, hit) | मुसीबतज़दा = (musībatzadā) = disaster-stricken; हैरतज़दा = (hairatzadā) = awestruck |
| -जन (-jan) | -gen | Sanskrit | जन (generating) | उदजन (Udjan) = Hydrogen; तुषारजन (Tushārjan) = Cryogen |
| जल- (jal-) | aqua- | Sanskrit | जल (water) | जलसेतु (jalsetu) = aqueduct |
| जीव- (jīva-) | bio- | Sanskrit | जीव (life, living) | जीवविज्ञान (jīvavijñān) = biology; जीवतत्व (jīvatatva) = physiology; जीवाणु (jīvānu) = bacteria |
| जन- (jan-) | | Sanskrit | जन (people) | जनगणना (jangananā) = census; जनसंख्या (jansankhyā) = population; जनरञ्जक (janrañjak) = popular |
त (t)#
| | | | |
|---|
| ताप- (tāp-) | | Sanskrit | ताप (heat, fever) | तापमान (tāpmān) = temperature |
| तारा- (tārā-) | stell- | Sanskrit | तारा (star) | तारामीन (tārāmīn) = starfish |
| तुषार- (tuṣār) | cryo- | Sanskrit | तुषार (cold, ice, frigid) | तुषाराच्छादन (tuṣārācchādan) = frosting |
| तृण- (tr̥iɳ) | | Sanskrit | तृण (grass, straw, herb) | तृणमणि (tr̥iɳmaɳi) = amber |
द (d)#
| | | | |
|---|
| दंश- (danś-) | | Sanskrit | दंश (bite) | उपदंशक्षत (upadanśakṣat) = hard chancre |
| -दान (-dān) | | Sanskrit | दान (donation, charity) | रक्तदान (raktdān) = blood donation; भिक्षादान = (bhikṣādān) = charity, alms-giving; मतदान (matdān) = vote, poll |
| दिल- (dil-) | | Persian | دل (dil) (heart) | दिलचस्पी (dilcaspī) = interest, zeal |
| -दार (-dār) | adjective-forming suffix, denoting “having, possessing” | Persian | دار (having) | ईमानदार (īmāndār) = honest; ज़िम्मेदार = (zimmedār) = responsible, held-accountable |
| दूर- (dūr-) | tele- | Sanskrit | दूर (far, distant) | दूरदर्शन (dūrdarshan) = television; दूरबीन (dūrbīn) = binoculars; दूरभाष (dūrbhāsh) = telephone; दूरदर्शक (dūrdarśak) = Telescope |
| द्रुत- (drut-) | | Sanskrit | द्रुत (rapid) | द्रुतगति (drutgati) = high-speed; द्रुतगामी (drutgāmī) = express |
| द्वि- (dvi-) | bi-, di- | Sanskrit | द्वि (two) | द्विकोणीय (dvikōnīya) = biangular; द्विध्रुव (dvidhruv) = dipole |
| दो- (do-) | bi-, di- | Sanskrit | द्वि (two) | दोगुना (dogunā) = double; दोहरा (doharā) = duplex; दोपहर (dopahar) = midday, noon |
ध (dh)#
| | | | |
|---|
| ध्वनि- (dhvani-) | phon-, son- | Sanskrit | ध्वनि (tune, sound) | ध्वनीलेख (dhvanīlekh) = phonograph |
न (n)#
| | | | |
|---|
| नाय- (nāy-) | | Sanskrit | नाय (guide, leader, direction) | नायकत्व (nāykatva) = leadership; नायक (nāyak) = hero; नायिका (nāyikā) = heroine (feminine of hero) |
| निद्रा- (nidrā-) | somn- | Sanskrit | निद्रा (sleep) | निद्राजनक (nidrājanak) = soporific, somniferous |
| निम्न- (nimn-) | min- | Sanskrit | निम्न (low, less, depressed) | निम्नलिखित (nimnalikhit) = following |
| -नाक (-nāk) | adjective-forming suffix, denoting “full of” | Persian | | दर्दनाक (dardnāk) = painful; ख़ौफ़नाक (khaufnāk)= terrifying, fearsome |
प (p)#
| | | | |
|---|
| पाण्डुर- (pāndur-) | flav- | Sanskrit | पाण्डुर (yellow) | पाण्डुरविषाणु (pāndurviṣāɳu) = Flavivirus |
| पीत- (pīt-) | xanth- | Sanskrit | पीत (yellow) | पीतार्बुद (pītārbud) = xanthoma |
| पुरा- (purā-) | archae-, arche- | Sanskrit | पुरा (of old, long ago) | पुरातत्त्व (purātattva) = archaeology |
| पूति- (pooti-) | | Sanskrit | पूति (stink, putrid) | पूतिता (****pootitā) sepsis, पूतिजीवरक्तता (pootijīvaraktatā) = septicemia |
| पूर्व- (poorv-) | ante-, pre- | Sanskrit | पूर्व (early, previous, former) | मृत्युपूर्व (mrutyupoorva) = antemortem |
| पेशाब- (peśāb-) | ur-, uro- | Persian | پیشاب (peśāb) (urine) | पेशाबघर (peśābghar) = urinal |
| प्रजा- (prajā-) | dem- | Sanskrit | प्रजा (man, mankind) | प्रजानायक (prajānāyak) = demagogue |
| प्रति- (prati-) | anti- | Sanskrit | प्रति (back, against, opposite) | प्रतिजैविक (pratijaivik) = antibiotic; प्रतिलघुगणक (pratilaghugaṇak) = antilogarithm |
| परम- (param-) | | Sanskrit | परम (absolute, utmost, highest) | परमात्मा (paramātmā) = god, supreme being; परमाणु (paramānu) = atom |
| -पाद (-pād) | -pod | Sanskrit | पाद (foot, quarter) | द्विपाद (dvipād) = biped; संधिपाद (sandhipād) = arthropod |
| पार- (pār-) | trans- | Sanskrit | पार (crossing, opposite side) | पारलैंगिक (pārlaingik) = transsexual; पारदर्शक (pārdarśak) = transparent; पारवहन (pārvahan) = transit |
फ (ph)#
| | | | |
|---|
| फल- (phal-) | fruct-, frug- | Sanskrit | फल (fruit) | फलदायक (phaldāyak) = available; फलधु (phaladhu), फलशर्करा (phalsharkarā) = fructose |
ब (b)#
| | | | |
|---|
| बा- (baa-) | | Persian | با (baa) (with) | बाक़ायदा (bāqāydā) = methodically (lit. by the principles); |
| बर्फ़- (barf-) | glaci- | Persian | برف (barf) (ice) | बर्फानी (barfānī) = blizzard |
| बाष्प- (bāṣp-) | vap- | Sanskrit | बाष्प (vapor, steam) | बाष्पातु (bāṣpātu) = rhenium |
| बे- (be-) | | Persian | بی (be) (without) | बेतार (betār) = wireless; बेशुमार (beshumār) = uncountable, innumerable |
| -बीन (-bīn) | -scope | Persian | | दूरबीन (dūrbīn) = binoculars; खुर्दबीन (khurdbīn) = microscope |
भ (bh)#
| | | | |
|---|
| भीति- (bhīti-) | phobia- | Sanskrit | भीति (fear) | अग्निभीति (agnibhīti) = pyrophobia; जलभीति (jalabhīti) = Aquaphobia |
| -भुज (-bhuja) | | Sanskrit | भुज (hand, arm, side) | अष्टभुज (aṣtabhuja) = octagon, eight-armed |
म (m)#
| | | | |
|---|
| मल- (mal-) | mal- | Sanskrit | मल (dirt, impurity) | मलोत्सर्ग (malotsarg) = bowel movement; मलावरोध (malāvarodh) = constipation |
| मांस- (mããs-) | carn- | Sanskrit | मांस (flesh, meat) | मांसाहारी (mããsaahaaree) = carnivore |
| मार्ग- (mārg-) | | Sanskrit | मार्ग (road, passage) | राजमार्ग (rājmārg) = highway |
| मूत्र- (mootr-) | ur-, uro- | Sanskrit | मूत्र (urine) | मूत्रविज्ञान (mootravinyān) = urology; मूत्राशय (mootrāśay) = bladder |
| मेघ- (megh-) | | Sanskrit | मेघ (cloud) | मेघधनुष (meghdhanuṣ) = rainbow |
| मृद- (mrid-) | | Sanskrit | मृद (loam, clay, soil) | मृदभक्षण (mridbhakṣaɳ) = geophagy |
| -मंद (-mand) | adjective-forming suffix, denoting possession | Persian | | अक़्लमंद (aqlmand) = wise; दौलतमंद (daulatmand) = wealthy |
| मनो (mano-) | psycho- | Sanskrit | मन (thought, view, imaginary) | मनोविज्ञान (manovijñān) = psychology; मनोदशा (manodashā) = mood |
| महा- (mahā-) | mega- | Sanskrit | मह (great, mighty) | महात्मा (mahātmā) = saint; महारानी (mahārānī) = empress |
| मेरु- (meru-) | | Sanskrit | मेरु (spinal) | मेरुदण्ड (merudanda) = spinal column; मेरुरज्जु (merurajju) = spinal cord; मेरुनाल (merunāl) = spinal canal |
य (y)#
| | | | |
|---|
| यव- (yav-) | | Sanskrit | यव (barley) | यवसुरा (yavsurā) = ale |
र (r)#
| | | | |
|---|
| रक्त- (rakt-) | hem-, haem- | Sanskrit | रक्त (blood) | रक्तविज्ञान (raktavinyān) = hematology, रक्तला (raktalā) = erbium |
ल (l)#
| | | | |
|---|
| ला- (lā-) | -less, used for negation | Arabic | لا (no) | लापरवाह (lāparvāh) = carefree, careless; लाजवाब (lājavāb) = matchless, unequalled; लापता (lāpatā) = missing |
| लाप- (lāp-) | | Sanskrit | लाप (speaking, speech) | संलाप (samlāp) = discourse; आलाप (ālāp) = dialogue |
| लोक- (lok-) | | Sanskrit | लोक (people, public, human race) | लोकतंत्र (loktantra) = democracy; लोकप्रिय (lokpriya) = popular; लोकसभा (loksabhā) = House of Commons |
व (v)#
| | | | |
|---|
| वायु- (vāyu-) | aer—as- | Sanskrit | वायु (gas) | वायुगतिकी (vāyugatikī) = aerodynamics |
| वृष- (vrishhabh-) | taur—os- | Sanskrit | वृष (bull) | नरवृषभ (narvriṣabh) = Minotaur—os |
| विद्युत्- (vidyut-) | | Sanskrit | विद्युत (electricity) | विद्युत चुम्बकीय (****vidyutchumbakīya) = electromagnetic; विद्युदणु (vidyudanu) = electron |
| वित्त- (vitta-) | | Sanskrit | वित्त (wealth, money, finance) | वित्तमंत्री (vittamantrī) = finance minister; वित्तदाता (vittadātā) = financer |
श (sh)#
| | | | |
|---|
| शति- (śati-) | centi- | Sanskrit | शत (hundred) | शतिमान (śatimān) = centimeter |
| शत- (śata-) | hecto- | Sanskrit | शत (hundred) | शतमान (śatamān) = hectometre |
| शिला- (śilā-) | petro- | Sanskrit | शिला (stone) | शिलातैल (śilātail) = petroleum; शिलाचित्र (śilācitra) = petroglyphy |
| शीत- (śit-) | cryo- | Sanskrit | शीत (cold, frigid) | शीतागार (śitāgār) = cold storage; शीतदंश (śitdanś) = frostbite |
| शुष्क- (śuṣk-) | xer- | Sanskrit | शुष्क (dry) | शुष्काक्षिपाक (śuṣkākṣipāk) = xerophthalmia |
| श्याम- (śyām-) | | Sanskrit | श्याम (black) | श्यामपट्ट (śyāmpatt) = blackboard |
स (s)#
| | | | |
|---|
| सद- (sad-) | sed-, -sid-, sess- | Sanskrit | सद (sitting) | सदन (sadan) = assembly, tenement |
| सर्व- (sarv-) | salv- | Sanskrit | सर्व (whole, each, entire, all) | सर्वश्रेष्ठ (sarvaśreṣth) = foremost, ace, ultimate |
| सह- (sah-) | con-, co-, col-, com-, cor- | Sanskrit | सह (with) | सहपक्ष (sahpakṣ) = aileron |
| स्था- (sthā-) | | Sanskrit | स्था (stand) | स्थानान्तरण (sthānāntaraɳ) = transfer, shift |
| स्मृ- (smri-) | memor- | Sanskrit | स्मृ (remember) | स्मृती (smritī) = remembrance |
| स्फट- (sphat-) | | Sanskrit | स्फट (crystal) | द्विस्फटिक (dvisphatik) = macle; स्फटयातु (sphatayātu) = aluminum |
| स्व- (sva-) | auto- | Sanskrit | स्व (self, own) | स्वाभिमान (svābhimān) = self-respect |
| सु - (su-) | eu- | Sanskrit | | सुभाग्य (subhāgya) = good-fortune; सुस्वर = (susvar) = euphonious |
| सहस्र- (sahasra-) | kilo- | Sanskrit | सहस्र (thousand) | सहस्रमान (sahasramān) = kilometre |
| सहस्रि- (sahasri-) | milli- | Sanskrit | सहस्र (thousand) | सहस्रिमान (sahasrimān) = millimetre |
| सूक्ष्म- (sūkshma-) | micro- | Sanskrit | सूक्ष्म (minute, fine) | सूक्ष्मदर्शी (sūkshmadarshī) = microscope; सूक्ष्मतरंग (sūkshmatarang) = microwave; सूक्ष्मजीव (sūkshmajīv) = micro-organism |
| -सरट (-saraṭ) | -saur | Sanskrit | सरट (lizard) | भीमसरट (bhīmsaraṭ) = dinosaur; त्रिशृंगसरट (triśringasaraṭ) = triceratops; वर्मसरट (varmasaraṭ) = stegosaurus |
ह (h)#
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| हम- (ham-) | fellow, co-, sym- | Persian | هم (ham) (fellow, kindred) | हमवतन (hamvatan) = compatriot; हमदर्द (hamdard) = sympathy (lit. kindred pain) |
| हिम- (him-) | glaci- | Sanskrit | हिम (ice, snow) | हिमनद (himnad) = glacier |
| -हीन (-hīn) | | Sanskrit | हीन (poor, without) | शक्तिहीन (śaktihīn) = powerless; भावनाहीन (bhāvnāhīn) = emotionless |
| हरित- (harit-) | chloro- | Sanskrit | हरित (green) | हरितलवक (haritlavak) = chloroplast; पर्णहरित (parnaharit) = chlorophyll |
ऋ (ri)#
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| ऋक्ष- (rikṣ-) | urs- | Sanskrit | ऋक्ष (bear) | लघु सप्तर्षि (Ursa Minor) |