देव

See also: देवी, देवृ, दैव, and द्व

Hindi

Etymology 1

Learned borrowing from Sanskrit देव (deva).

Pronunciation

• (Delhi) IPA^(key): /d̪eːʋ/

Noun

देव • (dev) m (Urdu spelling دیو)

1. (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism) deity, god, deva

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:भगवान

Usage notes

The use of देव (dev) is generally restricted to compound words and proper names (रामदेव (rāmdev), हरदेव (hardev), etc.)

Declension

Declension of देव (masc cons-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	देव dev	देव dev
oblique	देव dev	देवों devõ
vocative	देव dev	देवो devo

Derived terms

• देवकन्या (devkanyā, “nymph, celestial maiden”)
• देवकार्य (devkārya, “religious rite for propitiating a deity”)
• देवकुल (devkul, “pantheon”)
• देवगृह (devgŕh, “temple, abode of a deity”)
• देवता (devtā)
• देवत्रिय (devatriya, “the Holy Trinity of Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva”)
• देवदूत (devdūt, “angel, divine messenger”)

Related terms

• देवी (devī)

Proper noun

देव • (dev) m (Urdu spelling دیو)

1. a male given name, Dev, from Sanskrit

Declension

Declension of देव (masc cons-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	देव dev	देव dev
oblique	देव dev	देवों devõ
vocative	देव dev	देवो devo

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *dyew-

Proto-Indo-European *-ós

Proto-Indo-European *deywós

Proto-Indo-Iranian *daywás

Proto-Iranian *daywáh

Old Persian 𐎭𐎡𐎺 (d-i-v /⁠daivaʰ⁠⁠/)

Middle Persian 𐫅𐫏𐫇 (dyw /⁠dēw⁠/)

Classical Persian دیوْ (dēw)bor.

Hindi देव (dev)

Borrowed from Classical Persian دیوْ (dēw).

Noun

देव • (dev) m (Urdu spelling دیو)

1. demon
2. jinn, genie
3. giant

Declension

Declension of देव (masc cons-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	देव dev	देव dev
oblique	देव dev	देवों devõ
vocative	देव dev	देवो devo

References

• Bahri, Hardev (1989), “देव”, in Siksarthi Hindi-Angrejhi Sabdakosa [Learners' Hindi-English Dictionary], Delhi: Rajpal & Sons.
• McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993), “देव”, in The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, London: Oxford University Press
• Dāsa, Śyāmasundara (1965–1975), “देव”, in Hindī Śabdasāgara [lit. “Sea of Hindi words”] (in Hindi), Kashi [Varanasi]: Nagari Pracarini Sabha
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985), “dēvá”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press

Konkani

Noun

देव • (dev) m (Latin script ?, Kannada script ?)

1. god, deity

Marathi

Etymology

Inherited from Sanskrit देव (deva), through Old Marathi 𑘟𑘹𑘪 (deva).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d̪eʋ/

Noun

देव • (dev) m

1. (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism) deity, god, deva

Declension

Declension of देव (masc cons-stem)
direct singular	देव dev
direct plural	देव dev
	singular एकवचन		plural अनेकवचन
nominative प्रथमा	देव dev		देव dev
oblique सामान्यरूप	देवा devā		देवां- devān-
acc. / dative द्वितीया / चतुर्थी	देवाला devālā		देवांना devānnā
ergative	देवाने, देवानं devāne, devāna		देवांनी devānnī
instrumental	देवाशी devāśī		देवांशी devānśī
locative सप्तमी	देवात devāt		देवांत devāt
vocative संबोधन	देवा devā		देवांनो devānno
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 देव (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	देवाचा devāċā	देवाचे devāċe	देवाची devācī	देवाच्या devācā	देवाचे, देवाचं devāċe, devāċa	देवाची devācī	देवाच्या devācā
plural subject अनेकवचनी कर्ता	देवांचा devānċā	देवांचे devānċe	देवांची devāñcī	देवांच्या devāncā	देवांचे, देवांचं devānċe, devānċa	देवांची devāñcī	देवांच्या devāñcā
* 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.

Related terms

• देवी (devī)

Proper noun

देव • (dev) m

1. a male given name, Dev, from Sanskrit

References

• Berntsen, Maxine (1982–1983), “देव”, in A Basic Marathi-English Dictionary, New Delhi: American Institute of Indian Studies
• Molesworth, James Thomas (1857), “देव”, in A dictionary, Marathi and English, Bombay: Printed for government at the Bombay Education Society's Press
• Shridhar Ganesh Vaze (1911), “देव”, in The Aryabhusan School Dictionary, Poona: Arya-Bhushan Press
• Shankar Gopal Tulpule; Anne Feldhaus (1999), “देव”, in A Dictionary of Old Marathi, Mumbai: Popular Prakashan

Marwari

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Sanskrit देव (deva).

Noun

देव (dev) ?

1. deity
2. god

Related terms

• देवरौ (devrau)

Old Awadhi

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Sanskrit देव (deva).

Noun

देव (deva) (plural देवन)

1. deity, god, deva
   • c. 1500s CE, Tulsīdās, Saṅkaṭmocan Hanumān Aṣṭak:

     देवन आनि करी बिनती

     devana āni karī binatī

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Old Gujarati

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Sanskrit देव (deva).

Noun

देव • (deva) m

1. god

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• deva (Latin script)
• 𑀤𑁂𑀯 (Brahmi script)
• দেৰ (Bengali script)
• දෙව (Sinhalese script)
• ဒေဝ or ၻေဝ (Burmese script)
• เทว or เทวะ (Thai script)
• ᨴᩮᩅ (Tai Tham script)
• ເທວ or ເທວະ (Lao script)
• ទេវ (Khmer script)
• 𑄘𑄬𑅇 (Chakma script)

Noun

देव m

1. Devanagari script form of deva

Declension

Declension table of "देव" (masculine)

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	देवो (devo)	देवा (devā)
Accusative (second)	देवं (devaṃ)	देवे (deve)
Instrumental (third)	देवेन (devena)	देवेहि (devehi) or देवेभि (devebhi)
Dative (fourth)	देवस्स (devassa) or देवाय (devāya) or देवत्थं (devatthaṃ)	देवानं (devānaṃ)
Ablative (fifth)	देवस्मा (devasmā) or देवम्हा (devamhā) or देवा (devā)	देवेहि (devehi) or देवेभि (devebhi)
Genitive (sixth)	देवस्स (devassa)	देवानं (devānaṃ)
Locative (seventh)	देवस्मिं (devasmiṃ) or देवम्हि (devamhi) or देवे (deve)	देवेसु (devesu)
Vocative (calling)	देव (deva)	देवा (devā)

Sanskrit

Alternative scripts

Alternative scripts

• দেৱ (Assamese script)
• ᬤᬾᬯ (Balinese script)
• দেব (Bengali script)
• 𑰟𑰸𑰪 (Bhaiksuki script)
• 𑀤𑁂𑀯 (Brahmi script)
• ဒေဝ (Burmese script)
• દેવ (Gujarati script)
• ਦੇਵ (Gurmukhi script)
• 𑌦𑍇𑌵 (Grantha script)
• ꦢꦺꦮ (Javanese script)
• 𑂠𑂵𑂫 (Kaithi script)
• ದೇವ (Kannada script)
• ទេវ (Khmer script)
• ເທວ (Lao script)
• ദേവ (Malayalam script)
• ᡩᡝᠸᠠ (Manchu script)
• 𑘟𑘹𑘪 (Modi script)
• ᢑᠧᠸᠠ᠋ (Mongolian script)
• 𑦿𑧚𑧊 (Nandinagari script)
• 𑐡𑐾𑐰 (Newa script)
• ଦେଵ (Odia script)
• ꢣꢾꢮ (Saurashtra script)
• 𑆢𑆼𑆮 (Sharada script)
• 𑖟𑖸𑖪 (Siddham script)
• දෙව (Sinhalese script)
• 𑩭𑩔𑩾 (Soyombo script)
• 𑚛𑚲𑚦 (Takri script)
• தே³வ (Tamil script)
• దేవ (Telugu script)
• เทว (Thai script)
• དེ་ཝ (Tibetan script)
• 𑒠𑒹𑒫 (Tirhuta script)
• 𑨛𑨄𑨭 (Zanabazar Square script)

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *dyew-

Proto-Indo-European *-ós

Proto-Indo-European *deywós

Proto-Indo-Iranian *daywás

Sanskrit देव (deva)

From Proto-Indo-Aryan *daywás, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *daywás, from Proto-Indo-European *deywós (“god, the celestial one”). Cognate with Avestan 𐬛𐬀𐬉𐬎𐬎𐬀 (daēuua), Classical Persian دیو (dēv), Latin deus, divus.

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /dɐ́j.ʋɐ/

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /dɐj.ʋɐ́/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /d̪eː.ʋɐ/

Adjective

देव • (devá) stem

1. heavenly, divine, also said of terrestrial things of high excellence (Rigvedic)

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of देव

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	देवस् (devás)	देवौ (deváu) देवा¹ (devā́¹)	देवाः (devā́ḥ) देवासः¹ (devā́saḥ¹)
accusative	देवम् (devám)	देवौ (deváu) देवा¹ (devā́¹)	देवान् (devā́n)
instrumental	देवेन (devéna)	देवाभ्याम् (devā́bhyām)	देवैः (deváiḥ) देवेभिः¹ (devébhiḥ¹)
dative	देवाय (devā́ya)	देवाभ्याम् (devā́bhyām)	देवेभ्यः (devébhyaḥ)
ablative	देवात् (devā́t)	देवाभ्याम् (devā́bhyām)	देवेभ्यः (devébhyaḥ)
genitive	देवस्य (devásya)	देवयोः (deváyoḥ)	देवानाम् (devā́nām)
locative	देवे (devé)	देवयोः (deváyoḥ)	देवेषु (devéṣu)
vocative	देव (déva)	देवौ (dévau) देवा¹ (dévā¹)	देवाः (dévāḥ) देवासः¹ (dévāsaḥ¹)

• ¹Vedic

Feminine ī-stem declension of देवी

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	देवी (devī́)	देव्यौ (devyàu) देवी¹ (devī́¹)	देव्यः (devyàḥ) देवीः¹ (devī́ḥ¹)
accusative	देवीम् (devī́m)	देव्यौ (devyàu) देवी¹ (devī́¹)	देवीः (devī́ḥ)
instrumental	देव्या (devyā́)	देवीभ्याम् (devī́bhyām)	देवीभिः (devī́bhiḥ)
dative	देव्यै (devyái)	देवीभ्याम् (devī́bhyām)	देवीभ्यः (devī́bhyaḥ)
ablative	देव्याः (devyā́ḥ) देव्यै² (devyái²)	देवीभ्याम् (devī́bhyām)	देवीभ्यः (devī́bhyaḥ)
genitive	देव्याः (devyā́ḥ) देव्यै² (devyái²)	देव्योः (devyóḥ)	देवीनाम् (devī́nām)
locative	देव्याम् (devyā́m)	देव्योः (devyóḥ)	देवीषु (devī́ṣu)
vocative	देवि (dévi)	देव्यौ (dévyau) देवी¹ (dévī¹)	देव्यः (dévyaḥ) देवीः¹ (dévīḥ¹)

• ¹Vedic
• ²Brāhmaṇas

Neuter a-stem declension of देव

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	देवम् (devám)	देवे (devé)	देवानि (devā́ni) देवा¹ (devā́¹)
accusative	देवम् (devám)	देवे (devé)	देवानि (devā́ni) देवा¹ (devā́¹)
instrumental	देवेन (devéna)	देवाभ्याम् (devā́bhyām)	देवैः (deváiḥ) देवेभिः¹ (devébhiḥ¹)
dative	देवाय (devā́ya)	देवाभ्याम् (devā́bhyām)	देवेभ्यः (devébhyaḥ)
ablative	देवात् (devā́t)	देवाभ्याम् (devā́bhyām)	देवेभ्यः (devébhyaḥ)
genitive	देवस्य (devásya)	देवयोः (deváyoḥ)	देवानाम् (devā́nām)
locative	देवे (devé)	देवयोः (deváyoḥ)	देवेषु (devéṣu)
vocative	देव (déva)	देवे (déve)	देवानि (dévāni) देवा¹ (dévā¹)

• ¹Vedic

Noun

देव • (devá or déva) stem, m (feminine देवी)

1. deity, god, the gods as the heavenly or shining ones, often reckoned as numbering 33. (Rigvedic, also accented déva according to Panini 3.3.120)
   • c. 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE, Ṛgveda 10.90.7:

     तं य॒ज्ञं ब॒र्हिषि॒ प्रौक्ष॒न्पुरु॑षं जा॒तम॑ग्र॒तः ।
     तेन॑ दे॒वा अ॑यजन्त सा॒ध्या ऋष॑यश्च॒ ये ॥

     táṃ yajñáṃ barhíṣi práukṣanpúruṣaṃ jātámagratáḥ.
     téna devā́ ayajanta sādhyā́ ṛ́ṣayaśca yé.

     They immolated as the victim upon the sacred grass Puruṣa, born before creation;
     with him the deities who were Sādhyas and those who were Ṛṣis sacrificed.

   • c. 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE, Ṛgveda 2.13.5:

     अधा॑कृणोः पृथि॒वीं सं॒दृशे॑ दि॒वे यो धौ॑ती॒नाम॑हिह॒न्नारि॑णक्प॒थः ।
     तं त्वा॒ स्तोमे॑भिरु॒दभि॒र्न वा॒जिनं॑ दे॒वं दे॒वा अ॑जन॒न्त्सास्यु॒क्थ्यः॑ ॥

     ádhākṛṇoḥ pṛthivī́ṃ saṃdṛ́śe divé yó dhautīnā́mahihannā́riṇakpatháḥ.
     táṃ tvā stómebhirudábhirná vājínaṃ deváṃ devā́ ajanantsā́syukthyàḥ.

     You have created earth to look upon the sky: you, slaying Ahi, have set free the river's paths.
     You, such, a god, the gods have quickened with their praises, even as a steed with waters: meet for praise are you.

2. rarely also of evil demons (Atharvaveda, Taittiriya Samhita)
3. name of Indra as the god of the sky and giver of rain (Epics)
4. the image of a god, an idol
5. a god on earth or among men, either Brahman, priest or king, prince, as a title of honour, especially in the vocative "your majesty" or "your honour" (Rigvedic)
6. as a given name, diminutive of देवदत्त (devadatta) (Panini 5.3.83)

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of देव

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	देवः (deváḥ)	देवौ (deváu) देवा¹ (devā́¹)	देवाः (devā́ḥ) देवासः¹ (devā́saḥ¹)
accusative	देवम् (devám)	देवौ (deváu) देवा¹ (devā́¹)	देवान् (devā́n)
instrumental	देवेन (devéna)	देवाभ्याम् (devā́bhyām)	देवैः (deváiḥ) देवेभिः¹ (devébhiḥ¹)
dative	देवाय (devā́ya)	देवाभ्याम् (devā́bhyām)	देवेभ्यः (devébhyaḥ)
ablative	देवात् (devā́t)	देवाभ्याम् (devā́bhyām)	देवेभ्यः (devébhyaḥ)
genitive	देवस्य (devásya)	देवयोः (deváyoḥ)	देवानाम् (devā́nām)
locative	देवे (devé)	देवयोः (deváyoḥ)	देवेषु (devéṣu)
vocative	देव (déva)	देवौ (dévau) देवा¹ (dévā¹)	देवाः (dévāḥ) देवासः¹ (dévāsaḥ¹)

• ¹Vedic

Derived terms

• देवता (devátā)
• देवदत्त (devadatta)
• देवनागरी (devanāgarī)
• देवरूपा (devarūpa)
• देवसभा (devasabhā)

Descendants

• Pali: deva (see there for further descendants)

Terms inherited from Prakrit 𑀤𑁂𑀯 (deva)

• Dardic:
  • Shina: دیو (deu, “demon, ogre”)
• Southern:
  • Dhivehi: ދެވި (devi, “demon”)
• Eastern:
  • Assamese: দেউ (deu, “evil spirit”)
  • Odia: ଦେଉ (deu, “prince”)
• Northwestern:
  • Punjabi:

    Punjabi: ਦੇਉ (deu, “god, devil”)

    Punjabi: دیو (deu, “god, devil”)

    • Lahnda: دیو (deo)
  • Sindhi:

    Arabic script: ڏيو (ḍ̠eu)

    Devanagari script: ॾेउ (ḍ̠eu)

• Northern:
  • Bhadrawahi: देऊ (deū, “rain”)
  • Kumaoni: द्यो (“god, rain”), दिओ (“rain”)
  • Nepali: देउ (deu, “god”)

Borrowings

• → Assamese: দেৱ (dew)
• → Old Awadhi: (learned) deva

  Devanagari script: देव

  Kaithi script: 𑂠𑂵𑂫

• → Chakma: 𑄘𑄬𑄝𑄴 (deb, “god; king”)
• → Chinese: 提婆 (típó)
• → English: deva
• → Hindi: देव (dev)
• → Old Gujarati: देव (deva)
• → Kannada: ದೇವ (dēva)
• → Kashmiri: دیو (dev)
• → Malay: dewa
• → Marathi: देव (dev)
• → Odia: ଦେବ (deba)
• → Punjabi: ਦੇਵ (dev)
• → Marwari: देव (dev)
• → Kalasha: [script needed] (dewa, “god”)
• → Tamil: தேவன் (tēvaṉ)
• → Telugu: దేవుడు (dēvuḍu)

References

• Monier Williams (1899), “देव”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 492, column 2.