वर्ण
English meaning: speech-sound, phoneme, letter
Definition
A varṇa is an individual speech-sound or phoneme, the smallest unit of articulated sound in Sanskrit phonetics. It also denotes a written letter of the alphabet.
Example
“अकारः प्रथमो वर्णः।”
In English: “The sound 'a' is the first phoneme.”
Another example: “अकारः प्रथमो वर्णः।”
Usage — When, Where & How
A technical term of Sanskrit phonetics (śikṣā/vyākaraṇa) for an individual speech-sound or 'letter'; standard in grammatical and Vedic-recitation contexts. Note its second, unrelated sense 'social class/colour', so the domain disambiguates the meaning.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From the root √vṛ 'to cover, choose' with suffix -na, originally 'covering, colour, outward form', extended to a distinct speech-sound or letter.
Related Words
Common Collocations
- वर्णमाला
- स्वरवर्ण
- व्यञ्जनवर्ण
- वर्णसमाम्नाय
- वर्णोच्चारण
Word Forms
m., a-stem; nom. वर्णः, acc. वर्णम्, instr. वर्णेन, pl. nom. वर्णाः
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“मन्दः कवियशः प्रार्थी गमिष्याम्युपहास्यताम्। प्रांशुलभ्ये फले लोभादुद्बाहुरिव वामनः।।”
/Mandah kaviyashah prarthhi gamishyamyupahasytam. Pramshu-labhe phale lobhadud-bahur iva vamanah./
“Feeble-minded yet aspiring to a poet's fame, I go to be ridiculed — like a dwarf reaching for high fruit.”
“रामो विग्रहवान् धर्मः साधुः सत्यपराक्रमः”
/Ramo vigrahavan dharmah sadhuh satya-parakramah/
“Rama is righteousness incarnate — virtuous and true in valour.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- संस्कृतम्
- Sanskrit
- Script
- Devanagari
- Family
- Indo-Aryan
- Speakers
- 5M