Meanings
plural tatsamas
- human sciencesA Sanskrit learned loanword used in a South Asian language.
However, beyond lexis, the Macmillan range includes other adaptations, such as IPA encoding which reflects Indian English pronunciation, and etymologies that distinguish between "tatsama" and "tadbhava" terms, based on McGregor (1992).
2012, James Lambert, “Beyond Hobson-Jobson: A new lexicography for Indian English”, in World Englishes, page 298
Origin
- Sanskritतत्सम
- Englishtatsama
Learned borrowing from Sanskrit तत्सम (tatsama). Tatsama was originally employed to refer to those inherited Prakrit words that were identical in form with Sanskrit; later it came to refer to learned loans introduced into the post-Prakritic speech as well. Traditionally, the term was used for both inherited words that were unmodified in form, and learned words. However from a strict linguistic point of view, the term refers only to learned borrowings from Sanskrit.
More words from Sanskrit
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bengali তৎসম
- তৎসম (tôtśômô)a word borrowed from Sanskrit in a South Asian language
Hindi तत्सम
- तत्सम (tatsam)a word borrowed from Sanskrit in a South Asian language
Polish tatsama
- tatsamaa word borrowed from Sanskrit in a South Asian language
Urdu تتسم
- تتسم (tatsam)a word borrowed from Sanskrit in a South Asian language
Cite this entry
tatsama. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tatsama
“tatsama.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tatsama. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tatsama,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tatsama.
Source: tatsama on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.