मेष

Etymology

From Sanskrit मेष (meṣa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /meːʃ/

Noun

मेष • (meṣ) m (Urdu spelling میش‎)

1. ram

   Synonym: भेड़ (bheṛ)

2. sheep

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-Aryan *mayṣás, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *mayšás, from Proto-Indo-European *moysós (“sheep, skin of sheep”). Cognates include Persian میش‎ (meš), Old Irish meiss, Avestan 𐬨𐬀𐬉𐬱𐬀‎ (maēša), Old Prussian moasis.

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /mɐj.ʂɐ́/
• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈmeː.ʂɐ/

Noun

मेष • (meṣá) m

1. ram, sheep (in the older language applied also to a fleece or anything woollen)
   • RV 1.52.1a

     तयं सु मेषं महया सवर्विदं शतं यस्य सुभ्वः साकमीरते |

     अत्यं न वाजं हवनस्यदं रथमेन्द्रं वव्र्त्यामवसे सुव्र्क्तिभिः ||

     tyaṃ su meṣaṃ mahayā svarvidaṃ śataṃ yasya subhvaḥ sākamīrate |

     atyaṃ na vājaṃ havanasyadaṃ rathamendraṃ vavṛtyāmavase suvṛktibhiḥ ||

     I GLORIFY that Ram who finds the light of heaven, whose hundred nobly-natured ones go forth with him.

     With hymns may I turn hither Indra to mine aid,—the Car which like a strong steed hasteth to the call.

2. the sign of the zodiac Aries or the first arc of 30 degrees in a circle
3. (botany) a species of plant
4. name of a particular demon

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 0833
• Arthur A. Macdonell, A practical Sanskrit dictionary with transliteration, accentuation, and etymological analysis throughout, London: Oxford University Press, 1893, page 235