virama

V4I1R1A1M3A1

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
halantkillervowel killer
OriginSanskrit विराम →
Scrabble 11
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Meanings

nounvirama (plural viramas or virama)

plural viramas

  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.

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
halantkillervowel killer
Also see
halantkillerpamudpodsukunvowel killer

Origin

  1. Sanskritविराम“stop”
  2. Englishvirama

Borrowed from Sanskrit विराम (virāma, “stop”).

More words from Sanskrit

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic وِرَام
  • وِرَام (wirām)a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
Bengali হসন্ত, ্
  • হসন্ত (hośonto)a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
  • ্a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
Greek βιράμα
  • βιράμα (viráma)a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
Hindi हलंत, हलन्त
  • हलंत (halant)a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
  • हलन्त (halant)a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
  • विराम (virām)a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
  • ्a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
Polish virama
  • viramaa diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
Punjabi ਹਲਂਤ, ୍
  • ਹਲਂਤ (halant)a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
  • ୍a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
Russian вира́ма
  • вира́ма (viráma)a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
Tagalog pamudpod
  • pamudpoda diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
Tamil புள்ளி, ்
  • புள்ளி (puḷḷi)a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
  • ்a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
Thai การันต์, ทัณฑฆาต
  • การันต์ (gaa-ran)a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
  • ทัณฑฆาต (tan-tá-kâat)a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
  • พินทุ (pin-tú)a diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
  • ฺa diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel
  • วิรามa diacritic to signify the lack of a vowel

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

MaarivMaravi
Cite this entry
APA

virama. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/virama

MLA

“virama.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/virama. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “virama,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/virama.

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