List of Sanskrit and Persian roots in Hindi

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

The following is an alphabetical (according to Hindi's alphabet) list of Sanskrit and Persian roots, stems, prefixes, and suffixes commonly used in Hindi.

अ (a)

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 (-aṇu)		Sanskrit	अणु (minute, particle, atomic)	प्राणु (prāṇu) = proton; धनाणु (dhanāṇu) = positron; विषाणु (viṣāṇu) = 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 (akāraṇ) = 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 (avguṇ) = 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

आ (ā)

-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 (ekbhāṣī) = monolingual; एकपक्षीय (ekpakśīya) = unilateral; एकवर्णी (ekvarnī) = monochromatic

अं (am/an)

अंतः- (antaḥ-)	inter-, endo-	Sanskrit	अंतः (in, inside)	अंतःकरण (antaḥkaraṇ) = conscience
अंतर- (antar-)	inter-	Sanskrit	अंतर् (in the middle, internal, amongst, within)	अंतर्राष्ट्रीय (antarrāṣtrīya) = international
अंश- (amś-)		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- (kāth-)	xylo-	Sanskrit	काष्ठ (kāṣth) (timber, wood)	कठफोड़वा (kathphodvā) = woodpecker ; काठमांडू (kāthmānḍū) = Kathmandu
काष्ठ- (kāṣt-)	xylo-	Sanskrit	काष्ठ (timber, wood)	काष्ठवाद्य (kāṣthavādya) = xylophone, काष्ठशर्करा (kāṣṭhaśarkarā) = xylose
-काय (-kāya)	-some, -soma	Sanskrit	काय (Body)	लयनकाय (layankāya) = lysosome; कायिक (kāyik) = somatic
-कोण (-koṇa)	-gon	Sanskrit	कोण (corner, angle)	त्रिकोण (trikoṇa) = triangle; षट्कोण (ṣaṭkoṇa) = hexagon

ख़ (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- (khụn-)		Persian	خون (xun) (blood, gore)	ख़ूँखार(khūnkhār) = bloodthirsty

ग (g)

गाव- (gaav-)		Persian	گاو (gaav) (cow)	गावशुमारी (gaavśumārī) = cow census
गो- (go-)		Sanskrit	गो (cow)	गोविन्द (govind) = cow herder

ग़ (ġ)

ग़ैर- (ġair-)

non-

Arabic

غير (ghayr) (non-, un-)

ग़ैरमुल्की (ġairmulkī) = foreigner, non-native

च (ch)

चल- (chal-)		Sanskrit	चल (moving)	चलचित्र (chalchitra) = movie, motion picture
चित्र- (chitra-)		Sanskrit	चित्र (picture)	चित्रयंत्र (citrayantra) = camera

छ (chh)

छद्म- (chhadm-)

pseudo-

Sanskrit

छद्म (deceptive)

छद्मावरण (chhadmāvaraṇ) = camouflage

ज (j)

-जन (-jan)	-gen	Sanskrit	जन (generating)	उदजन (Udjan) = Hydrogen; तुषारजन (Tuṣārjan) = 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 (jangaṇanā) = census; जनसंख्या (jansankhyā) = population; जनरञ्जक (janrañjak) = popular

ज़ (z)

-ज़दा (-zadā)

Adjective forming, denoting "stricken, afflicted"

Persian

زده (beaten, hit)

मुसीबतज़दा = (musībatzadā) = disaster-stricken; हैरतज़दा = (hairatzadā) = awestruck

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- (tṛiṇ)		Sanskrit	तृण (grass, straw, herb)	तृणमणि (tṛiṇmaṇi) = 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 (dūrdarśan) = television; दूरबीन (dūrbīn) = binoculars; दूरभाष (dūrbhāṣ) = telephone; दूरदर्शक (dūrdarśak) = Telescope
द्रुत- (drut-)		Sanskrit	द्रुत (rapid)	द्रुतगति (drutgati) = high-speed; द्रुतगामी (drutgāmī) = express
द्वि- (dvi-)	bi-, di-	Sanskrit	द्वि (two)	द्विकोणीय (dvikōṇīya) = 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 (pāṇdurviṣāṇu) = Flavivirus
पीत- (pīt-)	xanth-	Sanskrit	पीत (yellow)	पीतार्बुद (pītārbud) = xanthoma
पुरा- (purā-)	archae-, arche-	Sanskrit	पुरा (of old, long ago)	पुरातत्त्व (purātattva) = archaeology
पूति- (pūti-)		Sanskrit	पूति (stink, putrid)	पूतिता (pūtitā) sepsis, पूतिजीवरक्तता (pūtijīvaraktatā) = septicemia
पूर्व- (pūrv-)	ante-, pre-	Sanskrit	पूर्व (early, previous, former)	मृत्युपूर्व (mrutyupūrva) = 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 (paramāṇu) = 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 (phalśarkarā) = 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 (beśumār) = 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- (mā̃s-)	carn-	Sanskrit	मांस (flesh, meat)	मांसाहारी (mā̃sāhaarī) = carnivore
मार्ग- (mārg-)		Sanskrit	मार्ग (road, passage)	राजमार्ग (rājmārg) = highway
मूत्र- (mūtr-)	ur-, uro-	Sanskrit	मूत्र (urine)	मूत्रविज्ञान (mūtravinyān) = urology; मूत्राशय (mūtrāśay) = bladder
मेघ- (megh-)		Sanskrit	मेघ (cloud)	मेघधनुष (meghdhanuṣ) = rainbow
मृद- (mṛid-)		Sanskrit	मृद (loam, clay, soil)	मृदभक्षण (mṛidbhakṣaṇ) = 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 (manodaśā) = mood
महा- (mahā-)	mega-	Sanskrit	मह (great, mighty)	महात्मा (mahātmā) = saint; महारानी (mahārānī) = empress
मेरु- (meru-)		Sanskrit	मेरु (spinal)	मेरुदण्ड (merudanḍa) = 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- (vriṣabh-)	taur—os-	Sanskrit	वृष (bull)	नरवृषभ (narvriṣabh) = Minotaur—os
विद्युत्‌- (vidyut-)		Sanskrit	विद्युत (electricity)	विद्युत चुम्बकीय (vidyutchumbakīya) = electromagnetic; विद्युदणु (vidyudaṇu) = electron
वित्त- (vitta-)		Sanskrit	वित्त (wealth, money, finance)	वित्तमंत्री (vittamantrī) = finance minister; वित्तदाता (vittadātā) = financer

श (ś)

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 (sthānāntaraṇ) = 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- (sūkṣma-)	micro-	Sanskrit	सूक्ष्म (minute, fine)	सूक्ष्मदर्शी (sūkṣmadarśī) = microscope; सूक्ष्मतरंग (sūkṣmatarang) = microwave; सूक्ष्मजीव (sūkṣmajīv) = micro-organism
-सरट (-saraṭ)	-saur	Sanskrit	सरट (lizard)	भीमसरट (bhīmsaraṭ) = dinosaur; त्रिशृंगसरट (triśringasaraṭ) = triceratops; वर्मसरट (varmasaraṭ) = stegosaurus

ह (h)

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 (ṛi)

ऋक्ष- (ṛikṣ-)

urs-

Sanskrit

ऋक्ष (bear)

लघु सप्तर्षि (Ursa Minor)