The following is an alphabetical (according to Hindi's alphabet) list of Sanskrit, Arabic and Persian roots, stems, prefixes, and suffixes commonly used in Hindi.
अ (') 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 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 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 अम्ल- (aml-) acid- Sanskrit अम्ल (acid) अम्लप्रेमी(amlapremī) = acidophile अंश- (aṃś-) Sanskrit अंश (part, portion) अंशकालिक (amśakālik) = part-time; अंशांकन (amśānkan) = calibration -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 अष्ट- (aṣṭa-) octo- Sanskrit अष्ट (eight) अष्टकोण (aṣṭakōṇ) = octagon; अष्टपदी (aṣṭapadī) = octave; अष्टभुज (aṣṭabhuj) = octopus आत्म- (ātma-) auto-, self- Sanskrit आत्मा (self) आत्महत्या (ātmahatyā) = suicide; आत्मज्ञान (ātmajñān) = self-knowledge; आत्मकथा (ātmakathā) = autobiography -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) 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 ऋक्ष- (ṛikṣ-) urs- Sanskrit ऋक्ष (bear) लघु सप्तर्षि (Ursa Minor) एक- (ek-) uni-, mono- Sanskrit एक (one) एकभाषी (ekbhāṣī) = monolingual; एकपक्षीय (ekpakśīya) = unilateral; एकवर्णी (ekvarnī) = monochromatic
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 (x) ख़ुद- (xud-) auto-, sui- Persian خود (xwad) (self, own, ego) ख़ुदग़रज़ी (khudgarzī) = selfishness ख़ुश- (xuś-) good-, eu- Persian خوش (xwaš) (good) ख़ुशनसीब (xuśnasīb) = fortunate; ख़ुशफ़हमी (khuśfahmī) = fantasy (lit. good understanding) ख़ून- (xūn-) Persian خون (xūn) (blood, gore) ख़ूँखार(xū̃xār) = 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
घ (gh)
च (c) चल- (chal-) Sanskrit चल (moving) चलचित्र (chalchitra) = movie, motion picture चित्र- (chitra-) Sanskrit चित्र (picture) चित्रयंत्र (citrayantra) = camera
छ (ch) 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 -ज़दा (-zadā) Adjective forming, denoting "stricken, afflicted" Persian زده (beaten, hit) मुसीबतज़दा = (musībatzadā) = disaster-stricken; हैरतज़दा = (hairatzadā) = awestruck
झ (jh)
ट (ṭ)
ठ (ṭh)
ड (ḍ)
ढ (ḍh)
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- (tṛṇ) Sanskrit तृण (grass, straw, herb) तृणमणि (tṛiṇmaṇi) = amber
थ (th)
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) = petroglyph 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
ष (ṣ)
स (s)