सूत्र

See also: सत्र, स्तर, स्त्र, सितारा, स्त्री, संतरा, and सितार

Sanskrit

Etymology

From the root सीव्यति (sīvyati, “to sew”), and connected with सूचि (sūci) and सूना (sūnā). May have the same Indo-European root as English "sew" and Latin "sutura" (whence English "suture").

Noun

सूत्र • (sū́tra) n

1. thread, yarn, string, line, cord, wire
2. a measuring line

   सूत्रपात (sū́tra-pāta) — applying the measuring line

3. the sacred thread or cord worn by the first three classes (compare यज्ञोपवीत (yajño-pavīta))
4. a girdle
5. a fibre
6. a line, stroke
7. a sketch, plan
8. that which like a thread runs through or holds together everything, rule, direction
9. a short sentence or aphoristic rule, and any work or manual consisting of strings of such rules; hanging together like threads; or, alternatively, written on palm leaves which are strung together sutra
10. a kind of tree

Declension

Neuter a-stem declension of सूत्र
Nom. sg.	सूत्रम् (sūtram)
Gen. sg.	सूत्रस्य (sūtrasya)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	सूत्रम् (sūtram)	सूत्रे (sūtre)	सूत्राणि (sūtrāṇi)
Vocative	सूत्र (sūtra)	सूत्रे (sūtre)	सूत्राणि (sūtrāṇi)
Accusative	सूत्रम् (sūtram)	सूत्रे (sūtre)	सूत्राणि (sūtrāṇi)
Instrumental	सूत्रेण (sūtreṇa)	सूत्राभ्याम् (sūtrābhyām)	सूत्रैः (sūtraiḥ)
Dative	सूत्रा (sūtrā)	सूत्राभ्याम् (sūtrābhyām)	सूत्रेभ्यः (sūtrebhyaḥ)
Ablative	सूत्रात् (sūtrāt)	सूत्राभ्याम् (sūtrābhyām)	सूत्रेभ्यः (sūtrebhyaḥ)
Genitive	सूत्रस्य (sūtrasya)	सूत्रयोः (sūtrayoḥ)	सूत्राणाम् (sūtrāṇām)
Locative	सूत्रे (sūtre)	सूत्रयोः (sūtrayoḥ)	सूत्रेषु (sūtreṣu)

References

• Sir Monier Monier-Williams (1898) A Sanskrit-English dictionary etymologically and philologically arranged with special reference to cognate Indo-European languages, Oxford: Clarendon Press, page 1241