# परमाणु (paramāṇu)

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

परमाणु (paramāṇu) is a Sanskrit word meaning an infinitesimal particle or atom, the passing of a sunbeam past an atom of matter, one-eighth of a Matra, a measure of time, an infinitesimal portion or atom, an atom or infinitely small part. Its 9 recorded definitions are grouped into 3 contexts, among them Atom or Infinitesimal Particle of Matter, A Unit of Measure (1/8 of a Mātrā), A Unit of Time (sunbeam passing an atom).

- **Etymology:** E. परम first, and अणु an atom — E. parama first, and aṇu an atom
- **SLP1:** `paramARu`  **IAST:** paramāṇu  **Devanagari:** परमाणु
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramanu
- **Declensions:** 72 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/paramanu/declensions.md

## Meanings by context

### Atom or Infinitesimal Particle of Matter (7 definitions)
- an infinitesimal particle or atom  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 588,2] परमा (paramā) णु (ṇu) m. an infinitesimal particle or atom (30 are said to form a mote in a sun-beam), Yājñavalkya (Author); Yoga-sūtra (Title); Mahābhārata (Title) &c. ( cf. भृत्य - प् (bhṛtya-p) ° (°) ) [ ID=116531 ]
- An infinitesimal portion or atom  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > परमाणु (paramāṇu) [Printed book page 153-3 ] परमाणु (paramāṇu) parama‿aṇu, m. infinitesimal portion, atom: -tā, f. atomic nature, -kāraṇavāda, m. doctrine of atoms, Vaiśeṣika system. [ ID=11169 ]
- 1. An atom. 2. A measure of time defined as the sun passing an atom of matter.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > परम (parama) ाणु (paramāṇu) [Printed book page 504 ] परम (parama) ाणु (paramāṇu) m. ( - णुः (-ṇuḥ) ) 1 An atom, the invisible base of all aggregate bodies; thirty of them are supposed to form a note in a sunbeam; the lowest measure of weight; in Logic, six of them form the first perceptible object. 2 A measure of time, the sun's passage past an atom of matter. E. परम (parama) first, and अणु (aṇu) an atom. [ ID=23328 ]
- 1. An atom. 2. A measure of time.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > परमाणु (paramāṇu) [Printed book page 450-b ] परमा _ णु (paramā_ṇu) ( णुः ) ((ṇuḥ)) 2. m. An atom, 30 of which form a mote in a sun beam; measure of time while a ray passes by an atom. [ ID=22802 ]
- an atom or infinitesimal particle  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > परमाणु (paramāṇu) [Printed book page 413-03 ] परम - अणु (parama-aṇu) m. an atom, an infinitesimal particle, R. xv.42, Yaj. iii.104. [ ID=21180 ]
- 1. An atom. 2. A measure of time defined by the sun passing an atom.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > परम (parama) ाणु (paramāṇu) [Printed book page 422-a ] परम (parama) ाणु (paramāṇu) m. ( - णुः (-ṇuḥ) ) 1. An atom, the invisible base of all aggregate bodies; thirty of them are supposed to form a mote in a sunbeam; the lowest measure of weight; in Logic, six of them form the first perceptible object. 2. A measure of time, the sun's passage past an atom of matter. E. परम (parama) first, and अणु (aṇu) an atom. [ ID=23314 ]
- an atom or infinitely small part  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > परमाणु (paramāṇu) [Printed book page 297 ] परमाणु (paramāṇu) m. infinitely small part or atom. [ ID=17980 ]

### A Unit of Measure (1/8 of a Mātrā) (1 definition)
- one-eighth of a Matra  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > परमा (paramā) णु (ṇu) n. 1/8 of a Mātrā, Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā-prātiśākhya (Title) [ ID=116533 ]

### A Unit of Time (sunbeam passing an atom) (1 definition)
- the passing of a sunbeam past an atom of matter  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the passing of a sun-beam past an atom of matter, Purāṇas (Literary category) [ ID=116532 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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