काम

See also: क़ौम, कम, किम्, कृमि, कमी, and कामी

Hindi

काम

Pronunciation

• (Delhi Hindi) IPA^(key): /kɑːm/, [kä̃ːm]

Etymology 1

Inherited from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀓𑀫𑁆𑀫 (kamma), from Sanskrit कर्मन् (kárman). Doublet of कर्म (karm). Cognate with Punjabi ਕੱਮ (kamma), Assamese কাম (kam).

Noun

काम • (kām) m (Urdu spelling کام‎)

1. work, task, labour

   मैं कारख़ाने में काम करता हूँ।

   ma͠i kārxāne mẽ kām kartā hū̃.

   I work at a factory.

   Synonym: क्रिया (kriyā)

2. job, employment

   आजकल मैं काम की तलाश कर रहा हूँ।

   ājkal ma͠i kām kī talāś kar rahā hū̃.

   These days I am looking for a job.

   Synonyms: नौकरी (naukrī), रोज़गार (rozgār)

3. function, purpose

   यह बक्सा मेज़ का काम देगा।

   yah baksā mez kā kām degā.

   This box will serve the function of a table.

Declension

Declension of काम (masc cons-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	काम kām	काम kām
oblique	काम kām	कामों kāmõ
vocative	काम kām	कामो kāmo

Derived terms

• काम करना (kām karnā)

Etymology 2

Learned borrowing from Sanskrit काम (kāma), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *kā́ma.

Noun

काम • (kām) m (Urdu spelling کام‎)

1. lust, sexual passion, desire
2. (Hinduism) the god of love

   Synonym: कामदेव (kāmdev)

Declension

Declension of काम (masc cons-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	काम kām	काम kām
oblique	काम kām	कामों kāmõ
vocative	काम kām	कामो kāmo

Further reading

• McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993), “काम”, in The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, London: Oxford University Press
• Bahri, Hardev (1989), “काम”, in Siksarthi Hindi-Angrejhi Sabdakosa [Learners' Hindi-English Dictionary], Delhi: Rajpal & Sons.
• Platts, John T. (1884), “काम”, in A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English, London: W. H. Allen & Co.

Marathi

Etymology

Inherited from Old Marathi 𑘎𑘰𑘦 (kāma), from Maharastri Prakrit 𑀓𑀫𑁆𑀫 (kamma), from Sanskrit कर्मन् (kárman), from Proto-Indo-Aryan *kárma, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *kárma, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷer- (“to do, make”). Doublet of कर्म (karma).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kam/

Noun

काम • (kām) n

1. work, task
2. job, occupation
3. function, purpose

Declension

Declension of काम (kām)
direct singular	काम kām
direct plural	कामे, कामं kāme, kāma
	singular		plural
nominative	काम kām		कामे, कामं kāme, kāma
oblique	कामा- kāmā-		कामां- kāmāN-
dative	कामाला kāmālā		कामांना kāmāNnā
ergative	कामाने kāmāne		कामांनी kāmāNni
instrumental	कामाशी kāmāśi		कामांशी kāmāNśi
locative	कामात kāmāt		कामांत kāmāNt
vocative	कामा kāmā		कामांनो kāmāNno
Oblique Note: The oblique case precedes all postpositions. There is no space between the stem and the postposition. Dative Note: -स (-sa) is archaic. -ते (-te) is limited to literary usage. Locative Note: -त (-ta) is a postposition.

Genitive declension of काम
	masculine object		feminine object		neuter object		oblique
	singular	plural	singular	plural	singular*	plural
singular subject	कामाचा kāmāċā	कामाचे kāmāce	कामाची kāmāci	कामाच्या kāmāca	कामाचे, कामाचं kāmāce, kāmāċa	कामाची kāmāci	कामाच्या kāmāca
plural subject	कामांचा kāmāNċā	कामांचे kāmāNce	कामांची kāmāNci	कामांच्या kāmāNca	कामांचे, कामांचं kāmāNce, kāmāNċa	कामांची kāmāNci	कामांच्या kāmāNca
* 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.

Derived terms

• काम करणे (kām karṇe, “to work”)
• कामगार (kāmgār, “worker”)

 

References

• Berntsen, Maxine, “काम”, in A Basic Marathi-English Dictionary, New Delhi: American Institute of Indian Studies, 1982-1983.
• Molesworth, James Thomas (1857), “काम”, in A dictionary, Marathi and English, Bombay: Printed for government at the Bombay Education Society's Press
• Date, Yasavanta Ramakrshna (1932-1950), “काम”, in Maharashtra Sabdakosa (in Marathi), Pune: Maharashtra Kosamandala.
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985), “kárman”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press

Nepali

Etymology

Inherited from Sanskrit कर्मन् (karman).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [käm]
• Phonetic Devanagari: काम्

Noun

काम • (kām)

1. work, act
2. job, occupation
3. lust, sexual passion, desire

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative forms

• kāma (Latin script)
• 𑀓𑀸𑀫 (Brahmi script)
• কাম (Bengali script)
• කාම (Sinhalese script)
• ကာမ or ၵႃမ (Burmese script)
• กาม or กามะ (Thai script)
• ᨠᩣᨾ (Tai Tham script)
• ກາມ or ກາມະ (Lao script)
• កាម (Khmer script)
• 𑄇𑄂𑄟 (Chakma script)

Noun

काम m

1. Devanagari script form of kāma (“lust”)

Declension

Declension table of "काम" (masculine)

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	कामो (kāmo)	कामा (kāmā)
Accusative (second)	कामं (kāmaṃ)	कामे (kāme)
Instrumental (third)	कामेन (kāmena)	कामेहि (kāmehi) or कामेभि (kāmebhi)
Dative (fourth)	कामस्स (kāmassa) or कामाय (kāmāya) or कामत्थं (kāmatthaṃ)	कामानं (kāmānaṃ)
Ablative (fifth)	कामस्मा (kāmasmā) or कामम्हा (kāmamhā) or कामा (kāmā)	कामेहि (kāmehi) or कामेभि (kāmebhi)
Genitive (sixth)	कामस्स (kāmassa)	कामानं (kāmānaṃ)
Locative (seventh)	कामस्मिं (kāmasmiṃ) or कामम्हि (kāmamhi) or कामे (kāme)	कामेसु (kāmesu)
Vocative (calling)	काम (kāma)	कामा (kāmā)

Sanskrit

Alternative scripts

Alternative scripts

• ᬓᬵᬫ (Balinese script)
• কাম (Assamese script)
• কাম (Bengali script)
• 𑰎𑰯𑰦 (Bhaiksuki script)
• 𑀓𑀸𑀫 (Brahmi script)
• 𑌕𑌾𑌮 (Grantha script)
• કામ (Gujarati script)
• ਕਾਮ (Gurmukhi script)
• ꦏꦴꦩ (Javanese script)
• កាម (Khmer script)
• ಕಾಮ (Kannada script)
• ກາມ (Lao script)
• കാമ (Malayalam script)
• 𑘎𑘰𑘦 (Modi script)
• ᢉᠠᢗᠮᠠ᠋ (Mongolian script)
• ᡬᠠ᠎᠊ᠠᠮᠠ (Manchu script)
• ကာမ (Burmese script)
• 𑦮𑧑𑧆 (Nandinagari script)
• 𑐎𑐵𑐩 (Newa script)
• କାମ (Oriya script)
• ꢒꢵꢪ (Saurashtra script)
• 𑆑𑆳𑆩 (Sharada script)
• 𑖎𑖯𑖦 (Siddham script)
• කාම (Sinhalese script)
• కామ (Telugu script)
• กาม (Thai script)
• ཀཱ་མ (Tibetan script)
• 𑒏𑒰𑒧 (Tirhuta script)

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-Iranian *káHmas (“desire”), from Proto-Indo-European *kóh₂-mo-s, from *keh₂- (“to desire, wish”). Cognate to Avestan 𐬐𐬁𐬨𐬀‎ (kāma, “desire”), Persian کام‎ (kâm, “desire”). Wider cognates include Latin cārus, whence French cher and English charity, and English whore.

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /kɑ́ː.mɐ/
• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑː.mɐ/

Noun

काम • (kā́ma) m

1. wish, desire, longing
2. love, affection, object of desire or of love or of pleasure
3. pleasure, enjoyment
4. love, especially sexual love or sensuality
5. Love or Desire personified

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of काम (kā́ma)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	कामः kā́maḥ	कामौ kā́mau	कामाः / कामासः¹ kā́māḥ / kā́māsaḥ¹
Vocative	काम kā́ma	कामौ kā́mau	कामाः / कामासः¹ kā́māḥ / kā́māsaḥ¹
Accusative	कामम् kā́mam	कामौ kā́mau	कामान् kā́mān
Instrumental	कामेन kā́mena	कामाभ्याम् kā́mābhyām	कामैः / कामेभिः¹ kā́maiḥ / kā́mebhiḥ¹
Dative	कामाय kā́māya	कामाभ्याम् kā́mābhyām	कामेभ्यः kā́mebhyaḥ
Ablative	कामात् kā́māt	कामाभ्याम् kā́mābhyām	कामेभ्यः kā́mebhyaḥ
Genitive	कामस्य kā́masya	कामयोः kā́mayoḥ	कामानाम् kā́mānām
Locative	कामे kā́me	कामयोः kā́mayoḥ	कामेषु kā́meṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

Derived terms

• कामकाम (kāmakāma)
• कामकार (kāmakāra)
• कामकारतस् (kāmakāratas)
• कामकृत (kāmakṛta)
• कामगूण (kāmagūṇa)
• कामचार (kāmacāra, “free unrestrained action”)
• कामचारतस् (kāmacāratas, “according to one's inclination, voluntarily”)
• कामचारिन् (kāmacārin, “moving or acting at pleasure, without restraint”)
• कामज (kāmaja)
• कामद (kāmada, “giving what is wished, granting desires”)
• कामदहन (kāmadahana)
• कामदान (kāmadāna)
• कामदीहिनि (kāmadīhini)
• कामदेव (kāmadeva)
• कामधर्म (kāmadharma)
• कामधेनु (kāmadhenu)
• कामन (kāmana)
• कामना (kāmanā)
• कामबद्ध (kāmabaddha, “bound by love”)
• कामबल (kāmabala, “force of desire, sexual power”)
• कामबाण (kāmabāṇa, “arrow of the god of love”)
• कामबिन्दु (kāmabindu, “a 'wish-drop', anything dropped into the fire to procure the fulfilment of a wish, drop of melted butter”)
• कामभोग (kāmabhoga, “gratification of the desires, sensual gratification”)
• काममय (kāmamaya)
• काममर्दन (kāmamardana)
• काममिनी (kāmaminī)
• काममू्त (kāmamū्ta)
• काममोह (kāmamoha)
• कामम् (kāmam)
• कामलुब्ध (kāmalubdha)
• कामशास्त्र (kāmaśāstra, “a treatise on pleasure or sexual love”)
• कामसूत्र (kāmasūtra, “treatise on pleasure or sexual love by Vātsyāyana, the kāma·sūtra”)

 

Descendants

• Dardic:
  • Kashmiri: کٲم‎ (kạ̄m)
• Maharastri Prakrit: 𑀓𑀸𑀫 (kāma)
• Paisaci Prakrit:
  • Punjabi: ਕਾਮ (kāma)
• Pali: kāma
  • → Khmer: កាម (kaam)
  • → Thai: กาม (gaam)
  • → Burmese: ကာမ (kama.)
• Sauraseni Prakrit: 𑀓𑀸𑀫 (kāma)
  • >? Romani: kamel
• → Hindi: काम (kām)
• → Urdu: کام‎
• → English: kama
• → Japanese: カーマ (Kāma)
• → Thai: กาม (gaam)

Proper noun

काम • (kāma) m

1. (Hinduism) Kamadeva, the god of love

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of काम (kāma)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	कामः kāmaḥ	कामौ kāmau	कामाः / कामासः¹ kāmāḥ / kāmāsaḥ¹
Vocative	काम kāma	कामौ kāmau	कामाः / कामासः¹ kāmāḥ / kāmāsaḥ¹
Accusative	कामम् kāmam	कामौ kāmau	कामान् kāmān
Instrumental	कामेन kāmena	कामाभ्याम् kāmābhyām	कामैः / कामेभिः¹ kāmaiḥ / kāmebhiḥ¹
Dative	कामाय kāmāya	कामाभ्याम् kāmābhyām	कामेभ्यः kāmebhyaḥ
Ablative	कामात् kāmāt	कामाभ्याम् kāmābhyām	कामेभ्यः kāmebhyaḥ
Genitive	कामस्य kāmasya	कामयोः kāmayoḥ	कामानाम् kāmānām
Locative	कामे kāme	कामयोः kāmayoḥ	कामेषु kāmeṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

References

• Monier Williams (1899), “काम”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 252.
• Otto Böhtlingk; Richard Schmidt (1879-1928), “काम”, in Walter Slaje, Jürgen Hanneder, Paul Molitor, Jörg Ritter, editors, Nachtragswörterbuch des Sanskrit [Dictionary of Sanskrit with supplements] (in German), Halle-Wittenberg: Martin-Luther-Universität, published 2016
• Mallory, J. P.; Adams, D. Q. (2006) The Oxford Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo-European World (Oxford Linguistics), New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 343