# देवी (devī)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/devi

देवी (devī) is a Sanskrit word meaning divine or heavenly, a deity or god, evil demons, the gods as the heavenly or shining ones, the number thirty-three, an epithet of Indra as the god of the sky and giver of rain. Its 57 recorded definitions are grouped into 19 contexts, among them Specific Goddesses/Consorts, Lexicographical/Referential, Mythical Beings (Non-Deity).

- **SLP1:** `devI`  **IAST:** devī  **Devanagari:** देवी
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devi
- **Declensions:** 72 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/devi/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** देवि (devi)

## Meanings by context

### Specific Goddesses/Consorts (7 definitions)
- an epithet of Durga  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > देवी (devī) [Printed book page 0580-b ] देवी (devī) 2 N. of Durgā
- the name of Sarasvati  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > देवी (devī) [Printed book page 0580-b ] देवी (devī) 3 N. of Sarasvatī
- name of Savitri  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > देवी (devī) [Printed book page 0580-b ] देवी (devī) 4 N. of Sāvitrī
- Uma  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Devī 2 = Umā (Durgā), q.v. [ ID=3337 ]
- the wife of Varuna  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Devī 3, the wife of Varuṇa. § 124 (Aṃśāvat.): I, 66, 2616 (the eldest daughter of Śukra; mother of Bala and Surā). [ ID=3338 ]
- Savitri, the wife of Brahman  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Devī 4 = Sāvitrī (the wife of Brahmán): V, 3969 ( reme… yathā D°yāṃ Pitāmahaḥ ); XII, 7204, 7205 ( Vedamātā ), 7206, 7207, 7209, 7210, 7211, 7335. [ ID=3339 ]
- 1. The first charioteer. 2. A Shakti.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > देवी (devī) [Printed book page 2-134 ] Devī (I) — the first charioteer; a Śakti. Br. IV. 6. 17; 20. 91. [ ID=6332 ]

### Lexicographical/Referential (6 definitions)
- See devas  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > देवी (devī) a ( ई (ī) ), f. See s.v. [ ID=95539.02 ]
- celestial, divine, god, deity, king, priest  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1E) [Printed book page 492,3] देव (deva) [ cf. Lat. dīvus, deus; Lit. dë́vas; Old Pruss. deiwas.] [ ID=95540.55 ]
- see devi  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 495,2] देवि - (devi-) and देवी (devī)- (devī-), see देवी (devī). [ ID=96278 ]
- the feminine form of deva  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > देव (deva) ी (devī) [Printed book page 424 ] देव (deva) ी (devī) f. ( - वी (-vī) ) See देव (deva). [ ID=19713 ]
- a goddess  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > देवी (devī) [Printed book page 353-b ] देवी (devī) f. ( - वी (-vī) ) See देव । (deva.) [ ID=19699 ]
- see deva  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > देवी (devī) [Printed book page 172-b ] devī́, see devá. [ ID=2048 ]

### Mythical Beings (Non-Deity) (6 definitions)
- evil demons  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (rarely applied to) evil demons, Atharva-veda (Title) iii, 15, 5; Taittirīya-saṃhitā (Title) iii, 5, 4, 1 [ ID=95520 ]
- A nymph beloved by the Sun.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of nymph beloved by the Sun, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=96438 ]
- an Apsaras  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of an Apsaras, Mahābhārata (Title) i, 4818 [ ID=96439 ]
- female snake  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > = नागी (nāgī), Buddhist literature (Literary category) [ ID=96445.2 ]
- an Apsaras  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > देवी (devī) [Printed book page 240-1 ] Devī 1, an Apsaras. § 191 (Arjuna): I, 123, 4818 (among the Apsarases who danced at the birth of Arjuna). [ ID=3336 ]
- an Apsaras  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Devī (III) — an Apsaras. Vā. 69. 6. [ ID=6334 ]

### Goddess (General) (5 definitions)
- a goddess or female deity  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 496,1] देव (deva) ी (devī) c f. ( cf. देव (deva) ) a female deity, goddess, Ṛg-veda (Title); Aitareya-brāhmaṇa (Title); Mahābhārata (Title) &c. ( e.g. Uṣas, Ṛg-veda (Title) vii, 75, 5; Sarasvatī, v, 41, 17; Sāvitrī, the wife of Brahmā, Mahābhārata (Title); Durgā, the wife of Śiva, Mahābhārata (Title); Harivaṃśa (Title); Kāvya literature (Literary category) &c. the 4 goddesses of Buddhists are Rocanī, Māmakī, Pāṇḍurā and Tārā, Dharmasaṃgraha (Title) iv ) [ ID=96437 ]
- A female deity, a goddess  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > देवी (devī) [Printed book page 0580-b ] देवी (devī) 1 A female deity, a goddess
- a goddess, queen, or princess  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > देवी (devī) [Printed book page 125-2 ] देवी (devī) devī, f. of deva: -ka, —° a. princess, queen; -kṛti, f. N. of a pleasure grove; -garbha-gṛha, n. inner sanctuary containing the image of Durgā; -gṛha, n. temple of Durgā; queenʼs apartment; -tva, n. condition of a goddess or princess; -dhāman, n. temple of Durgā; -bhavana, n. temple of Durgā. [ ID=9584 ]
- A goddess  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > देवी (devī) [Printed book page 378-a ] देवी (devī) ( वी ) ((vī)) 3. f. A goddess. [ ID=19189 ]
- 1. A goddess. 2. An epithet of Durga. 3. An epithet of Sarasvati. 4. An epithet of Savitri. 5. A queen, especially the chief consecrated queen. 6. A respectful title for a lady of rank.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > [Printed book page 343-10 ] देवी (devī) f. 1. A female deity, a goddess; 2. an epithet of Durgā; 3. of Sarasvatī; 4. of Sāvitrī; 5. a queen, especially the chief queen who has been consecrated with her husband (in theatrical language particularly), देवी (devī) भावं गमिता परिवारपदं कथं भजत्येषा (devībhāvaṃ gamitā parivārapadaṃ kathaṃ bhajatyeṣā) K.Pr. x.; 6. a respectful epithet applied to a lady of rank. [ ID=17562 ]

### Human Types/Roles (5 definitions)
- a husband's brother  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a husband's brother ( cf. देवृ (devṛ) and देवर (devara) ), Horace H. Wilson, author of first Sanskrit-English dictionary in 1819 (Author) [ ID=95528 ]
- a fool or dolt  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a fool, dolt, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=95529 ]
- a child  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a child, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=95530 ]
- a person following a particular line of business  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a man following any partic. line or business, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=95531 ]
- A spearman or lancer  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a spearman, lancer, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=95532 ]

### Abstract Concepts (4 definitions)
- emulation, wish to excel or overcome  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > emulation, wish to excel or overcome, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=95533 ]
- sport, play  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > sport, play, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=95534 ]
- a particular supernatural power  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a partic. supernatural power (= कुण्डलिनी (kuṇḍalinī) ), Catalogue(s) [Cologne Addition] (Title) [ ID=96443 ]
- worship or reverence  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > worship, reverence, Horace H. Wilson, author of first Sanskrit-English dictionary in 1819 (Author) [ ID=96444 ]

### God or Gods (General) (3 definitions)
- A deity or god.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > देव (deva) m. (according to Pāṇini (Author) iii, 3, 120 देव (deva) ) a deity, god, Ṛg-veda (Title) &c. &c. [ ID=95519 ]
- the gods as the heavenly or shining ones  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ( pl. the gods as the heavenly or shining ones; विश (śa) ्व (viśva) े देवास् (viśve devās), all the gods, Ṛg-veda (Title) ii, 3, 4 &c., or a partic. class of deities [see under विश (śa) ्व (viśva) ], often reckoned as 33, either 11 for each of the 3 worlds, Ṛg-veda (Title) i, 139, 11 &c. [ cf. त्रि - दश (śa) (tri-daśa) ], or 8 Vasus, 11 Rudras, and 12 Ādityas [to which the 2 Aśvins must be added] Brāhmaṇa (Literary category); cf. also, Divyāvadāna (Title) 68; with Jainas 4 classes, viz. भवना (bhavanā) धी (dhī) श (śa), व्यन्तर (vyantara), ज्योतिष्क (jyotiṣka), and वैमानिक (vaimānika); देवानाम् पत्न्यस् (devānām patnyas), the wives of the gods, Ṛg-veda (Title); Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā (Title); Brāhmaṇa (Literary category) [ cf. देव - पत्नी (deva-patnī) below]) [ ID=95521 ]
- the number thirty-three  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > [Printed book page 492,3] N. of the number 33 (see above), Gaṇitādhyāya (subtitle) [ ID=95522 ]

### Objects (Idols, Weapons) (3 definitions)
- an idol or image of a god  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the image of a god, an idol, Viṣṇu-smṛti, Viṣṇu-sūtra, Vaiṣṇava-dharma-śāstra (Title) [ ID=95526 ]
- a sword  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a sword, Demetrius Galanos’s Lexiko: sanskritikes, anglikes, hellenikes (Title) [ ID=95535 ]
- the image of Devi  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Devī (II) — the image of. M. 258. 75; 266, 42. [ ID=6333 ]

### Proper Names (Human) (3 definitions)
- a proper name for men  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of men, Viṣṇu-purāṇa (Title) [ ID=95536 ]
- a disciple of Nagarjuna  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a disciple of Nāgārjuna, Monier-Williams’ Buddhism in its connexion with Brāhmaṇism and Hindūism: and in its contrast with Christianity (Title) 192 [ ID=95537 ]
- A familiar name for Devadatta  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > dimin. for देवदत्त (devadatta), Pāṇini (Author) v, 3, 83, Vārtt. 4, Sch. [ ID=95538 ]

### Queen or High-Rank Lady (3 definitions)
- 1. A queen or princess. 2. A woman of high rank.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > queen, princess lady (the consecrated wife or daughter of a king, but also any woman of high rank), Mahābhārata (Title); Kāvya literature (Literary category) &c. [ ID=96441 ]
- A queen, especially a crowned queen  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > देवी (devī) [Printed book page 0580-b ] देवी (devī) 5 A queen, especially a crowned queen ( अग्रमहिषी (agramahiṣī) who has undergone the consecration along with her husband); प्रेष्यभावेन नामेयं देवी (devī) शब्दक्षमा सती । (preṣyabhāvena nāmeyaṃ devīśabdakṣamā satī.) स्नानीयवस्त्रक्रियया पत्त्रोर्णं वोपयुज्यते (snānīyavastrakriyayā pattrorṇaṃ vopayujyate) Mālavikāgnimitra (Bombay) 5. 12; देवी (devī) भावं गमिता परिवारपदं कथं (devībhāvaṃ gamitā parivārapadaṃ kathaṃ) भजत्येषा (bhajatyeṣā) Kāvyaprakāśa 10
- A respectful title applied to a lady of the first rank.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > देवी (devī) [Printed book page 0580-b ] देवी (devī) 6 A respectful title applied to a lady of the first rank

### Divine Quality (2 definitions)
- divine or heavenly  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1) [Printed book page 492,2] देव (deva) mf( ई (ī) )n. ( fr. 3. दिव् (div) ) heavenly, divine (also said of terrestrial things of high excellence), Ṛg-veda (Title); Atharva-veda (Title); Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā (Title); Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa (Title) ( superl. m. देव (deva)- तम (deva-tama), Ṛg-veda (Title) iv, 22, 3 &c. f. देव (deva) ि - तमा (devi-tamā), ii, 41, 16 ) [ ID=95518 ]
- Divine or celestial  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > देव (deva) ी (devī) [Printed book page 342-05 ] देव (deva) (I) a. (f. वी (vī) ) Divine, celestial, Bg. xi.11. [ ID=17427.1 ]

### Jain Figures (2 definitions)
- the twenty-second Arhat of the future Ut-sarpini according to Jainism  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (with Jainas) the 22nd Arhat of the future Ut-sarpiṇī [ ID=95525 ]
- in Jainism, the mother of the eighteenth Arhat of the present era  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (with Jainas) the mother of 18th Arhat of present Ava-sarpiṇī, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=96440 ]

### Plants (2 definitions)
- Hibiscus Mutabilis or Marsilea Quadrifolia  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1B) [Printed book page 492,3] देवा (devā) ( आ (ā) ), f. Hibiscus Mutabilis or Marsilea Quadrifolia [ ID=95539.01 ]
- the name of various plants, including colocynth, cyperus, and Medicago Esculenta  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of plants (colocynth, a species of cyperus, Medicago Esculenta &c.), Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=96445 ]

### Bird (1 definition)
- a kind of bird  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a kind of bird (= श्यामा (śyāmā) ), Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=96442 ]

### Cloud (1 definition)
- a cloud  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a cloud, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=95524 ]

### Gāyatrī Mantra (1 definition)
- Gayatri  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > [Printed book page 1329,1] (also) = गायत्री (gāyatrī), Parāśara-smṛti (Title) [ ID=96445.1 ]

### Indra (Specific God) (1 definition)
- An epithet of Indra as the god of the sky and giver of rain.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of Indra as the god of the sky and giver of rain, Mahābhārata (Title); Rāmāyaṇa (Title) &c. [ ID=95523 ]

### Revered Humans (1 definition)
- 1. A Brahman priest. 2. A king or prince.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a god on earth or among men, either Brāhman, priest, Ṛg-veda (Title); Atharva-veda (Title) ( cf. भू - द् (bhū-d) ° (°) ), or king, prince (as a title of honour, esp. in the voc. ‘your majesty’ or ‘your honour’; also ifc., e.g. श्री - हर्ष - द् (śrī-harṣa-d) ° (°), विक्रमा (vikramā) ङ्क - द् (ṅka-d) ° (°), king Śrī- h° (°) or Vikr° (°), and in names as पुरुषो (puruṣo) त्तम - द् (ttama-d) ° (°) [ lit. having Viṣṇu as one's deity; cf. अतिथि - द् (atithi-d) ° (°), आचार्य - द् (ācārya-d) ° (°), पितृ - द् (pitṛ-d) ° (°), मातृ - द् (mātṛ-d) ° (°) ]; rarely preceding the name, e.g. देव - चण्डमहासेन (deva-caṇḍamahāsena), Kathāsaritsāgara (Title) xiii, 48 ), Kāvya literature (Literary category); Pañcatantra (Title) &c. ( cf. क्षिति - (kṣiti-), नर - (nara-), &c.) [ ID=95527 ]

### Sense Organ (1 definition)
- an organ of sense  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > देव (deva) n. ( Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) ) an organ of sense, Muṇḍaka-upaniṣad (Title) iii, 1, 8; 2, 7 [ ID=95539 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

The Sanskrit Lexicon app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sanskrit-lexicon-dictionary/id6746787546