नाग

See also: नग and नंगा

Hindi

नाग

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Sanskrit नाग (nāga).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Hindi) IPA^(key): /nɑːɡ/, [näːɡ]

Noun

नाग • (nāg) m (female equivalent नागिन or नागिनी, Urdu spelling ناگ)

1. male serpent

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:साँप

2. (specifically) Indian cobra, Naja naja

   Synonym: भुजंग (bhujaṅg)

3. (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism) naga

Declension

Declension of नाग (masc cons-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	नाग nāg	नाग nāg
oblique	नाग nāg	नागों nāgõ
vocative	नाग nāg	नागो nāgo

Related terms

• नागिन (nāgin)
• नागिनी (nāginī)

References

• Dāsa, Śyāmasundara (1965–1975), “नाग”, in Hindī Śabdasāgara [lit. “Sea of Hindi words”] (in Hindi), Kashi [Varanasi]: Nagari Pracarini Sabha, page 2563
• Caturvedi, Mahendra; Bhola Nath Tiwari (1970), “नाग”, in A practical Hindi-English dictionary, Delhi: National Publishing House, page 358
• McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993), “नाग”, in The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, London: Oxford University Press, page 550
• Bahri, Hardev (1989), “नाग”, in Siksarthi Hindi-Angrejhi Sabdakosa [Learners' Hindi-English Dictionary], Delhi: Rajpal & Sons, page 341.

Marathi

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit नाग (nāga), through Old Marathi 𑘡𑘰𑘐 (nāga).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /naɡ/

Noun

नाग • (nāg) m (female equivalent नागीण)

1. a male serpent

   Synonyms: साप (sāp), सर्प (sarpa)

2. (specifically) Indian cobra, Naja naja

   Synonym: भुजंग (bhujaṅga)

3. (Hinduism, Buddhism) naga

Declension

Declension of नाग (masc cons-stem)

	singular एकवचन	plural अनेकवचन
nominative प्रथमा	नाग nāg	नाग nāg
oblique सामान्यरूप	नागा nāgā	नागां- nāgā̃-
accusative / dative द्वितीया / चतुर्थी	नागाला nāgālā	नागांना nāgānnā
ergative	नागाने, नागानं nāgāne, nāgāna	नागांनी nāgānnī
instrumental	नागाशी nāgāśī	नागांशी nāgāuśī
locative सप्तमी	नागात nāgāt	नागांत nāgānta
vocative संबोधन	नागा nāgā	नागांनो nāgānno

Oblique Note: The oblique case precedes all postpositions.
There is no space between the stem and the postposition.
Locative Note: -त (-ta) is a postposition.

Genitive declension of नाग (masc cons-stem)

	masculine object पुल्लिंगी कर्म		feminine object स्त्रीलिंगी कर्म		neuter object नपुसकलिंगी कर्म		oblique सामान्यरूप
	singular एकवचन	plural अनेकवचन	singular एकवचन	plural अनेकवचन	singular* एकवचन	plural अनेकवचन
singular subject एकवचनी कर्ता	नागाचा nāgācā	नागाचे nāgāce	नागाची nāgācī	नागाच्या nāgācyā	नागाचे, नागाचं nāgāce, nāgāca	नागाची nāgācī	नागाच्या nāgācyā
plural subject अनेकवचनी कर्ता	नागांचा nāgāñcā	नागांचे nāgāñce	नागांची nāgāñcī	नागांच्या nāgāñcyā	नागांचे, नागांचं nāgāñce, nāgāñca	नागांची nāgāñcī	नागांच्या nāgāñcyā

^* Note: Word-final ए (e) in neuter words is alternatively written with the anusvara and pronounced as अ (a).
Oblique Note: For most postpostions, the oblique genitive can be optionally inserted between the stem and the postposition.

References

• Molesworth, James Thomas (1857), “नाग”, in A dictionary, Marathi and English, Bombay: Printed for government at the Bombay Education Society's Press
• Shankar Gopal Tulpule; Anne Feldhaus (1999), “नाग”, in A Dictionary of Old Marathi, Mumbai: Popular Prakashan

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• nāga (Latin script)
• 𑀦𑀸𑀕 (Brahmi script)
• নাগ (Bengali script)
• නාග (Sinhalese script)
• နာဂ or ၼႃၷ (Burmese script)
• นาค or นาคะ (Thai script)
• ᨶᩣᨣ (Tai Tham script)
• ນາຄ or ນາຄະ (Lao script)
• នាគ (Khmer script)
• 𑄚𑄂𑄉 (Chakma script)

Noun

नाग m

1. Devanagari script form of nāga

Declension

Declension table of "नाग" (masculine)

Case / Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	नागो (nāgo)	नागा (nāgā)
Accusative (second)	नागं (nāgaṃ)	नागे (nāge)
Instrumental (third)	नागेन (nāgena)	नागेहि (nāgehi) or नागेभि (nāgebhi)
Dative (fourth)	नागस्स (nāgassa) or नागाय (nāgāya) or नागत्थं (nāgatthaṃ)	नागानं (nāgānaṃ)
Ablative (fifth)	नागस्मा (nāgasmā) or नागम्हा (nāgamhā) or नागा (nāgā)	नागेहि (nāgehi) or नागेभि (nāgebhi)
Genitive (sixth)	नागस्स (nāgassa)	नागानं (nāgānaṃ)
Locative (seventh)	नागस्मिं (nāgasmiṃ) or नागम्हि (nāgamhi) or नागे (nāge)	नागेसु (nāgesu)
Vocative (calling)	नाग (nāga)	नागा (nāgā)

Sanskrit

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• নাগ (Assamese script)
• ᬦᬵᬕ (Balinese script)
• নাগ (Bengali script)
• 𑰡𑰯𑰐 (Bhaiksuki script)
• 𑀦𑀸𑀕 (Brahmi script)
• နာဂ (Burmese script)
• નાગ (Gujarati script)
• ਨਾਗ (Gurmukhi script)
• 𑌨𑌾𑌗 (Grantha script)
• ꦤꦴꦒ (Javanese script)
• 𑂢𑂰𑂏 (Kaithi script)
• ನಾಗ (Kannada script)
• នាគ (Khmer script)
• ນາຄ (Lao script)
• നാഗ (Malayalam script)
• ᠨᠠ᠎᠊ᠠᡤᠠ (Manchu script)
• 𑘡𑘰𑘐 (Modi script)
• ᠨᠠᢗᠺᠠ (Mongolian script)
• 𑧁𑧑𑦰 (Nandinagari script)
• 𑐣𑐵𑐐 (Newa script)
• ନାଗ (Odia script)
• ꢥꢵꢔ (Saurashtra script)
• 𑆤𑆳𑆓 (Sharada script)
• 𑖡𑖯𑖐 (Siddham script)
• නාග (Sinhalese script)
• 𑩯𑩛𑩞 (Soyombo script)
• 𑚝𑚭𑚌 (Takri script)
• நாக³ (Tamil script)
• నాగ (Telugu script)
• นาค (Thai script)
• ནཱ་ག (Tibetan script)
• 𑒢𑒰𑒑 (Tirhuta script)
• 𑨝𑨊𑨍 (Zanabazar Square script)

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /nɑː.ɡɐ́/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /n̪ɑː.ɡɐ/

Etymology 1

Probably the same word as नाग (nāga, “elephant”). Both the meanings “snake” and “elephant” can be explained as “*naked, hairless animal”, from Proto-Indo-European *nogʷós (“naked”). Cognate with Lithuanian núogas (“naked”), Russian нагой (nagoj, “naked”), etc. See also नग्न (nagná-, “naked”).

The comparison with Old English snaca (whence English snake) is nowadays considered unlikely.

Noun

ना॒ग • (nāgá) stem, m

1. a snake, especially of species Naja naja
   • c. 700 BCE, Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa
2. a naga or serpent-demon
3. name of the numbers 7 and 8
4. one of the five airs of the human body (which is expelled by eructation)
5. any of several plants (Mesua roxburghii, Rottlera tinctoria etc.)

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of ना॒ग

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	ना॒गः nāgáḥ	ना॒गौ, ना॒गा1 nāgáu, nāgā́1	ना॒गाः, ना॒गासः॑1 nāgā́ḥ, nāgā́saḥ1
accusative	ना॒गम् nāgám	ना॒गौ, ना॒गा1 nāgáu, nāgā́1	ना॒गान् nāgā́n
instrumental	ना॒गेन॑ nāgéna	ना॒गाभ्या॑म् nāgā́bhyām	ना॒गैः, ना॒गेभिः॑1 nāgáiḥ, nāgébhiḥ1
dative	ना॒गाय॑ nāgā́ya	ना॒गाभ्या॑म् nāgā́bhyām	ना॒गेभ्यः॑ nāgébhyaḥ
ablative	ना॒गात् nāgā́t	ना॒गाभ्या॑म् nāgā́bhyām	ना॒गेभ्यः॑ nāgébhyaḥ
genitive	ना॒गस्य॑ nāgásya	ना॒गयोः॑ nāgáyoḥ	ना॒गाना॑म् nāgā́nām
locative	ना॒गे nāgé	ना॒गयोः॑ nāgáyoḥ	ना॒गेषु॑ nāgéṣu
vocative	नाग॑ nā́ga	नागौ॑, नागा॑1 nā́gau, nā́gā1	नागाः॑, नागा॑सः1 nā́gāḥ, nā́gāsaḥ1

¹Vedic.

Descendants

Descendants

• Pali: nāga
• Prakrit: 𑀡𑀸𑀬 (ṇāya)
  • Sinhalese: නයා (nayā)
• Punjabi: ਨਾਗ (nāg, “cobra”)
• Saraiki: نانگ (nāng, “snake”)
• Sindhi: نانگُ (nāṅgu, “snake”)
• → Burmese: နဂါး (na.ga:), နာဂ (naga.)
• → Chinese:
  • Mandarin: 那伽 (nàjiā)
• → English: naga, naja
• → Hindi: नाग (nāg)
• → Bengali: নাগ (nag)
• → Italian: naga
• → Kannada: ನಾಗ (nāga)
• → Kashmiri: ناگ (nāg, “snake, lake, spring”)
• → Khmer: នាគ (niək)
• → Lao: ນາກ (nāk)
• → Lü: ᦓᦱᧅ (naak)
• → Malayalam: നാഗം (nāgaṁ)
• → Malay: naga
  • Indonesian: naga
• → Mon: နာ်
• → Odia: ନାଗ (nāga)
• → Old Marathi: 𑘡𑘰𑘐 (nāga)
  • → Marathi: नाग (nāg)
• → Tamil: நாக (nāka), நாகம் (nākam)
• → Tampuan: ណាក
• → Telugu: నాగము (nāgamu)
• → Thai: นาค (nâak)

Adjective

ना॒ग • (nāgá) stem

1. formed of snakes, relating to serpents or serpents-demons, snaky, serpentine, serpent-like
2. belonging to an elephant, elephantine (as urine)

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of ना॒ग singular dual plural nominative ना॒गः nāgáḥ ना॒गौ, ना॒गा1 nāgáu, nāgā́1 ना॒गाः, ना॒गासः॑1 nāgā́ḥ, nāgā́saḥ1 accusative ना॒गम् nāgám ना॒गौ, ना॒गा1 nāgáu, nāgā́1 ना॒गान् nāgā́n instrumental ना॒गेन॑ nāgéna ना॒गाभ्या॑म् nāgā́bhyām ना॒गैः, ना॒गेभिः॑1 nāgáiḥ, nāgébhiḥ1 dative ना॒गाय॑ nāgā́ya ना॒गाभ्या॑म् nāgā́bhyām ना॒गेभ्यः॑ nāgébhyaḥ ablative ना॒गात् nāgā́t ना॒गाभ्या॑म् nāgā́bhyām ना॒गेभ्यः॑ nāgébhyaḥ genitive ना॒गस्य॑ nāgásya ना॒गयोः॑ nāgáyoḥ ना॒गाना॑म् nāgā́nām locative ना॒गे nāgé ना॒गयोः॑ nāgáyoḥ ना॒गेषु॑ nāgéṣu vocative नाग॑ nā́ga नागौ॑, नागा॑1 nā́gau, nā́gā1 नागाः॑, नागा॑सः1 nā́gāḥ, nā́gāsaḥ1 1Vedic. Feminine ā-stem declension of ना॒गा singular dual plural nominative ना॒गा nāgā́ ना॒गे nāgé ना॒गाः nāgā́ḥ accusative ना॒गाम् nāgā́m ना॒गे nāgé ना॒गाः nāgā́ḥ instrumental ना॒गया॑, ना॒गा1 nāgáyā, nāgā́1 ना॒गाभ्या॑म् nāgā́bhyām ना॒गाभिः॑ nāgā́bhiḥ dative ना॒गायै॑ nāgā́yai ना॒गाभ्या॑म् nāgā́bhyām ना॒गाभ्यः॑ nāgā́bhyaḥ ablative ना॒गायाः॑, ना॒गायै॑2 nāgā́yāḥ, nāgā́yai2 ना॒गाभ्या॑म् nāgā́bhyām ना॒गाभ्यः॑ nāgā́bhyaḥ genitive ना॒गायाः॑, ना॒गायै॑2 nāgā́yāḥ, nāgā́yai2 ना॒गयोः॑ nāgáyoḥ ना॒गाना॑म् nāgā́nām locative ना॒गाया॑म् nāgā́yām ना॒गयोः॑ nāgáyoḥ ना॒गासु॑ nāgā́su vocative नागे॑ nā́ge नागे॑ nā́ge नागाः॑ nā́gāḥ 1Vedic. 2Brāhmaṇas. Feminine ī-stem declension of ना॒गी singular dual plural nominative ना॒गी nāgī́ ना॒ग्यौ॑, ना॒गी1 nāgyàu, nāgī́1 ना॒ग्यः॑, ना॒गीः1 nāgyàḥ, nāgī́ḥ1 accusative ना॒गीम् nāgī́m ना॒ग्यौ॑, ना॒गी1 nāgyàu, nāgī́1 ना॒गीः nāgī́ḥ instrumental ना॒ग्या nāgyā́ ना॒गीभ्या॑म् nāgī́bhyām ना॒गीभिः॑ nāgī́bhiḥ dative ना॒ग्यै nāgyái ना॒गीभ्या॑म् nāgī́bhyām ना॒गीभ्यः॑ nāgī́bhyaḥ ablative ना॒ग्याः, ना॒ग्यै2 nāgyā́ḥ, nāgyái2 ना॒गीभ्या॑म् nāgī́bhyām ना॒गीभ्यः॑ nāgī́bhyaḥ genitive ना॒ग्याः, ना॒ग्यै2 nāgyā́ḥ, nāgyái2 ना॒ग्योः nāgyóḥ ना॒गीना॑म्, ना॒गी॒नाम्3 nāgī́nām, nāgīnā́m3 locative ना॒ग्याम् nāgyā́m ना॒ग्योः nāgyóḥ ना॒गीषु॑ nāgī́ṣu vocative नागि॑ nā́gi नाग्यौ॑, नागी॑1 nā́gyau, nā́gī1 नाग्यः॑, नागीः॑1 nā́gyaḥ, nā́gīḥ1 1Vedic. 2Brāhmaṇas. 3Rigvedic. Neuter a-stem declension of ना॒ग singular dual plural nominative ना॒गम् nāgám ना॒गे nāgé ना॒गानि॑, ना॒गा1 nāgā́ni, nāgā́1 accusative ना॒गम् nāgám ना॒गे nāgé ना॒गानि॑, ना॒गा1 nāgā́ni, nāgā́1 instrumental ना॒गेन॑ nāgéna ना॒गाभ्या॑म् nāgā́bhyām ना॒गैः, ना॒गेभिः॑1 nāgáiḥ, nāgébhiḥ1 dative ना॒गाय॑ nāgā́ya ना॒गाभ्या॑म् nāgā́bhyām ना॒गेभ्यः॑ nāgébhyaḥ ablative ना॒गात् nāgā́t ना॒गाभ्या॑म् nāgā́bhyām ना॒गेभ्यः॑ nāgébhyaḥ genitive ना॒गस्य॑ nāgásya ना॒गयोः॑ nāgáyoḥ ना॒गाना॑म् nāgā́nām locative ना॒गे nāgé ना॒गयोः॑ nāgáyoḥ ना॒गेषु॑ nāgéṣu vocative नाग॑ nā́ga नागे॑ nā́ge नागा॑नि, नागा॑1 nā́gāni, nā́gā1 1Vedic.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Indo-European *nogʷós (“naked”). See नाग (nāga, “snake”).

Noun

ना॒ग • (nāgá) stem, m

1. an elephant
   • c. 80 CE – 150 CE, Aśvaghoṣa, Buddhacarita 3.2:

     श्रुत्वा ततः स्त्रीजनवल्लभानां मनोज्ञभावं पुरकाननानाम् ।
     बहिःप्रयाणाय चकार बुद्धिम् अन्तर्गृहे नाग इवावरुद्धः ॥

     śrutvā tataḥ strījanavallabhānāṃ manojñabhāvaṃ purakānanānām.
     bahiḥprayāṇāya cakāra buddhim antargṛhe nāga ivāvaruddhaḥ.

     • 1893 translation by E. B. Cowell

       Having heard of the delightful appearance of the city groves beloved by the women,
       He resolved to go out of doors, like an elephant long shut up in a house.

Descendants

• Pali: nāga (“elephant”)
• Prakrit: 𑀡𑀸𑀬 (ṇāya)
• → Old Javanese: nāga (see there for further descendants)

Etymology 3

Probably borrowed from Semitic, ultimately from Sumerian 𒀭𒈾 (anna). Compare Classical Syriac ܐܢܟܐ (ʾānḵāʾ, “tin”), Biblical Hebrew אֲנָךְ (ʾănāḵ), Arabic آنُك (ʔānuk, “lead; tin”).

Noun

नाग • (nāga) stem, n

1. tin, lead
2. a kind of talc
3. a kind of coitus
4. name of the 3rd invariable करण (karaṇa)
5. name of the effects of that period on anything happening during it
6. name of a district of भारतवर्ष (bhāratavarṣa)

Declension

Neuter a-stem declension of नाग

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	नागम् nāgam	नागे nāge	नागानि, नागा1 nāgāni, nāgā1
accusative	नागम् nāgam	नागे nāge	नागानि, नागा1 nāgāni, nāgā1
instrumental	नागेन nāgena	नागाभ्याम् nāgābhyām	नागैः, नागेभिः1 nāgaiḥ, nāgebhiḥ1
dative	नागाय nāgāya	नागाभ्याम् nāgābhyām	नागेभ्यः nāgebhyaḥ
ablative	नागात् nāgāt	नागाभ्याम् nāgābhyām	नागेभ्यः nāgebhyaḥ
genitive	नागस्य nāgasya	नागयोः nāgayoḥ	नागानाम् nāgānām
locative	नागे nāge	नागयोः nāgayoḥ	नागेषु nāgeṣu
vocative	नाग nāga	नागे nāge	नागानि, नागा1 nāgāni, nāgā1

¹Vedic.

Etymology 4

Uncertain. Possibly from नाग (nāga, “snake”) as "snake tree".

Noun

नाग • (nāga) stem, m

1. name of the tree Mesua ferrea

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of नाग

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	नागः nāgaḥ	नागौ, नागा1 nāgau, nāgā1	नागाः, नागासः1 nāgāḥ, nāgāsaḥ1
accusative	नागम् nāgam	नागौ, नागा1 nāgau, nāgā1	नागान् nāgān
instrumental	नागेन nāgena	नागाभ्याम् nāgābhyām	नागैः, नागेभिः1 nāgaiḥ, nāgebhiḥ1
dative	नागाय nāgāya	नागाभ्याम् nāgābhyām	नागेभ्यः nāgebhyaḥ
ablative	नागात् nāgāt	नागाभ्याम् nāgābhyām	नागेभ्यः nāgebhyaḥ
genitive	नागस्य nāgasya	नागयोः nāgayoḥ	नागानाम् nāgānām
locative	नागे nāge	नागयोः nāgayoḥ	नागेषु nāgeṣu
vocative	नाग nāga	नागौ, नागा1 nāgau, nāgā1	नागाः, नागासः1 nāgāḥ, nāgāsaḥ1

¹Vedic.

Further reading

• Monier Williams (1899), “नाग”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, pages 532-533.
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985), “nāga”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 404