halant

H4A1L1A1N1T1

noun

A diacritic used in most writing systems of the Indian subcontinent to signify the lack of an inherent vowel.

“a Devanagari example: क (ka) + ् = क् (k)”

Similar
Scrabble 9

Meanings

nounhalant (plural halants)

plural halants · alternative halanta

  1. A diacritic used in most writing systems of the Indian subcontinent to signify the lack of an inherent vowel.

    a Devanagari example: क (ka) + ् = क् (k)

  2. A sign which serves the same purpose in any writing system.
  3. computingA character which binds consonants into a conjunct or some other form of visual combination which is prototypically a visual indication that the first consonant does not have an implicit vowel

Synonyms & antonyms

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Origin

  1. Hindiहलंत
  2. Englishhalant

Borrowed from Hindi हलंत (halant). The computing sense arises from the diacritic sense through the use in ISCII of the same computer character to act, depending on context and font capabilities, as either a visual diacritic or as a control character modifying a pair of consonants.

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Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

halant. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/halant

MLA

“halant.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/halant. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “halant,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/halant.

Source: halant on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.