As a deity name
Name 576 of the Vishnu Sahasranāma — Mahabharata (Anushasana Parva), as taught by Bhishma to Yudhishthira on his deathbed
As a Hindi name
साम · noun · masculine
वे वेद मंत्र जो प्राचीन काल में यज्ञ आदि के समय गाए जाते थे । छंदोबद्ध स्तुतिपरक मंत्र या सूक्त · चारों वेदों में तीसरा वेद · मीठी बातें करना । मधुर भाषण — Śabdasāgara
साम · adj
, संज्ञा पुं॰ [सं॰ श्याम] दे॰ 'स्याम' — Śabdasāgara
साम · sām · s.f.
A ferule ( = sāmī) — Platts (1884), digital edition courtesy DSAL, University of Chicago, p. 627
साम · sām · s.m.
= syām — Platts (1884), digital edition courtesy DSAL, University of Chicago, p. 627
साम · masculine
a hymn; a particular kind of sacred text or verse that is to be chanted
साम · masculine
a ferule (on an axle, or a handle); bushing, bush; a weapon
a Hindi word, a tatsama: the Sanskrit word borrowed unchanged into Hindi सामन् — per Wiktionary’s etymology record
“Borrowed from Sanskrit सामन् (sāman).” — per Wiktionary’s etymology record
1. sāman n. (fr. √ 1. sā = 1. san) acquisition, possession, property, wealth, abundance, RV.; VS.
2. sāman n. (m. only in TBr.; prob. connected with √ sāntv; accord. to some fr. √ 1. sā; cf. 3. sāman) calming, tranquillizing, (esp.) kind or gentle words for winning an adversary, conciliation, negotiation (one of the 4 Upāyas or means of success against an enemy, the other 3 being dāna, bheda, and daṇḍa, qq.vv.; ibc. or instr. sg. and pl., ‘by friendly means or in a friendly way, willingly, voluntarily’), TBr.; &c.
a Hindi word, a tadbhava: evolved from the Sanskrit through Prakrit शम्ब — per Wiktionary’s etymology record
“Inherited from Sanskrit शम्ब (śamba).” — per Wiktionary’s etymology record
śamba m. (derivation doubtful) a weapon used by Indra (accord. to some ‘Indra's thunderbolt’, but cf. śambin), RV. x, 42, 7 (= vajra, Naigh. iv, 2)
the iron head of a pestle, L.
As a Sanskrit word
Meaning
likeness, similarity
Scripturally attested Verified derivationMultiple readings (10)Why this matches what you typed
M1 · same meaning "sāma" is the vocative of "sāman" — the same word in a different grammatical case.
M3 · meaning shifts "sāma" is derived from "sām" with the aṇ/añ suffix — a related word whose meaning shifts, so both meanings are shown.
sām See 1. sāmaya, p. 1205, col. 1.
sām 10 U. (sāmayati-te) To appease, conciliate, soothe.
1. sāma n. (fr. 1. sama, of which it is also the Vṛddhi form in comp.) likeness, similarity, L.
2. sāma mfn. undigested, crude, not sufficiently prepared or matured (a morbid state of the humours), Car.; Bhpr.
Related forms
Dictionary citations
1. sāma n. (fr. 1. sama, of which it is also the Vṛddhi form in comp.) likeness, similarity, L.
2. sāma mfn. undigested, crude, not sufficiently prepared or matured (a morbid state of the humours), Car.; Bhpr.
3. sāma in comp. for 2. sāman.
4. sāma in comp. for 3. sāman.
5. sāma (ifc.) = 3. sāman (see anu-, ava-s˚).
1. sāman n. (fr. √ 1. sā = 1. san) acquisition, possession, property, wealth, abundance, RV.; VS.
2. sāman n. (m. only in TBr.; prob. connected with √ sāntv; accord. to some fr. √ 1. sā; cf. 3. sāman) calming, tranquillizing, (esp.) kind or gentle words for winning an adversary, conciliation, negotiation (one of the 4 Upāyas or means of success against an enemy, the other 3 being dāna, bheda, and daṇḍa, qq.vv.; ibc. or instr. sg. and pl., ‘by friendly means or in a friendly way, willingly, voluntarily’), TBr.; &c.
sām See 1. sāmaya, p. 1205, col. 1.
sām 10 U. (sāmayati-te) To appease, conciliate, soothe.
Alternative readings
More than one analysis survives full verification. That ambiguity is real, so we show every reading rather than pick one silently.
Caveats
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