कुमुद
kumuda/ku.mu.d̪ɐ/
The Sanskrit word for lily is कुमुद (kumuda).
In a formal context, कुमुद refers specifically to the white water lily.
Meaning: flower in the genus Lilium (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as ku.mu.d̪ɐ. It consists of 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The Sanskrit word कुमुद might not be originally Indo-European, as it is believed to be a loanword from Dravidian languages.
- In ancient Indian poetry, the कुमुद is often depicted as a flower that blooms only at night, symbolizing longing or hidden beauty.
- Sanskrit possesses a vast number of different words for 'lotus' and 'lily' depending on the color, size and whether the flower is open or closed.
Examples in context
- कुमुदं सुन्दरम् अस्ति।kumudaṃ sundaram asti.The lily is beautiful.
Example conversation
Aditya and Isha are walking through a garden.
- आदित्य Adityaपश्य ईशे, एतत् किम् अस्ति?paśya īśe, etat kim asti?Look Isha, what is this?
- ईशा Ishaएतत् कुमुदम् अस्ति, आदित्य।etat kumudam asti, āditya.This is a lily, Aditya.
- आदित्य Adityaकिं कुमुदं सुगन्धितं भवति?kiṃ kumudaṃ sugandhitaṃ bhavati?Is the lily fragrant?
- ईशा Ishaआम्, एतत् अति सुगन्धितम् अस्ति।ām, etat ati sugandhitam asti.Yes, this is very fragrant.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry कुमुद, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries कुमुद, CC BY-SA 4.0.
