काम

See also: क़ौम, कम, किम्, कृमि, कमी, and कामी

Hindi

Pronunciation

(Delhi) IPA^(key): /kɑːm/, [kä̃ːm]

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Ashokan Prakrit 𑀓𑀁𑀫 (kaṃma)

Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀓𑀫𑁆𑀫 (kamma)

Hindi काम (kām)

Inherited from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀓𑀫𑁆𑀫 (kamma), from Sanskrit कर्मन् (kárman). Doublet of कर्म (karm). Cognate with Punjabi ਕੱਮ (kamma), Assamese কাম (kam).

Noun

काम • (kām) m (Urdu spelling کام)

work, task, labour
Synonym: क्रिया (kriyā)

मैं कारख़ाने में काम करता हूँ।
ma͠i kārxāne mẽ kām kartā hū̃.
I work at a factory.
job, employment
Synonyms: नौकरी (naukrī), रोज़गार (rozgār)

आजकल मैं काम की तलाश कर रहा हूँ।
ājkal ma͠i kām kī talāś kar rahā hū̃.
These days I am looking for a job.
function, purpose
यह बक्सा मेज़ का काम देगा।
yah baksā mez kā kām degā.
This box will serve the function of a table.

Declension

Declension of *काम* (masc cons-stem)
	singular	plural
direct	काम kām	काम kām
oblique	काम kām	कामों kāmõ
vocative	काम kām	कामो kāmo

Derived terms

काम करना (kām karnā)
काम आना (kām ānā)
काम तमाम करना (kām tamām karnā, “to kill”)

Etymology 2

Learned borrowing from Sanskrit काम (kāma), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *kā́ma.

Noun

काम • (kām) m (Urdu spelling کام)

lust, sexual passion, desire
(Hinduism) the god of love
Synonym: कामदेव (kāmdev)

Declension

Declension of *काम* (masc cons-stem)
	singular	plural
direct	काम kām	काम kām
oblique	काम kām	कामों kāmõ
vocative	काम kām	कामो kāmo

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Classical Persian (kām).

Noun

काम • (kām) m

mouth
- 1797 – 1869, Ghalib:
  दाम-ए-हर-मौज में है हलक़ा-ए-सद-काम-ए-नहंग,
  देखें क्या गुज़रे है क़तरे पे गुहर होते तक
  dām-e-har-mauj mẽ hai halqā-e-sad-kām-e-nahaṅg,
  dekhẽ kyā guzre hai qatre pe guhar hote tak
  In snares of every wave there is a ring of hundred mouths of sea monsters
  it is to see what befalls the drop in becoming a pearl.

Related terms

तल्ख़-काम (talx-kām)

Etymology 4

Borrowed from Classical Persian (kām), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *kā́ma. Doublet of काम (kām#Etymology_2).

Noun

काम • (kām) m

desire

Related terms

कामयाब (kāmyāb)
कामयाबी (kāmyābī)
तिश्ना-काम (tiśnā-kām)

Konkani

Noun

काम • (kām) n (Latin script ?, Kannada script ?)

work, task
job

Marathi

Etymology

Inherited from Old Marathi 𑘎𑘰𑘦 (kāma), from Maharastri Prakrit 𑀓𑀫𑁆𑀫 (kamma), from Sanskrit कर्मन् (kárman), from Proto-Indo-Aryan *kárma, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *kárma, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷer- (“to do, make”). Doublet of कर्म (karma).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kam/

Noun

काम • (kām) n

Declension

Declension of काम (neut cons-stem)
direct singular	काम kām
direct plural	कामे, कामं kāme, kāma
	singular एकवचन	plural अनेकवचन
nominative प्रथमा	काम kām	कामे, कामं kāme, kāma
oblique सामान्यरूप	कामा kāmā	कामां- kāmān-
acc. / dative द्वितीया / चतुर्थी	कामाला kāmālā	कामांना kāmānnā
ergative	कामाने, कामानं kāmāne, kāmāna	कामांनी kāmānnī
instrumental	कामाशी kāmāśī	कामांशी kāmānśī
locative सप्तमी	कामात kāmāt	कामांत kāmāt
vocative संबोधन	कामा kāmā	कामांनो kāmānno
Oblique Note: The oblique case precedes all postpositions. There is no space between the stem and the postposition. Locative Note: -त (-ta) is a postposition.

Genitive declension of काम (neut cons-stem)
	masculine object पुल्लिंगी कर्म		feminine object स्त्रीलिंगी कर्म		neuter object नपुसकलिंगी कर्म		oblique सामान्यरूप
	singular एकवचन	plural अनेकवचन	singular एकवचन	plural अनेकवचन	singular^* एकवचन	plural अनेकवचन	oblique सामान्यरूप
singular subject एकवचनी कर्ता	कामाचा kāmāċā	कामाचे kāmāċe	कामाची kāmācī	कामाच्या kāmācā	कामाचे, कामाचं kāmāċe, kāmāċa	कामाची kāmācī	कामाच्या kāmācā
plural subject अनेकवचनी कर्ता	कामांचा kāmānċā	कामांचे kāmānċe	कामांची kāmāñcī	कामांच्या kāmāncā	कामांचे, कामांचं kāmānċe, kāmānċa	कामांची kāmāñcī	कामांच्या kāmāñcā
^* Note: Word-final ए (e) in neuter words is alternatively written with the anusvara and pronounced as अ (a). Oblique Note: For most postpostions, the oblique genitive can be optionally inserted between the stem and the postposition.

Derived terms

काम करणे (kām karṇe, “to work”)
कामगार (kāmgār, “worker”)

References

Berntsen, Maxine (1982–1983) “काम”, in A Basic Marathi-English Dictionary, New Delhi: American Institute of Indian Studies
Molesworth, James Thomas (1857) “काम”, in A dictionary, Marathi and English, Bombay: Printed for government at the Bombay Education Society's Press
दाते, यशवंत रामकृष्ण [Date, Yashwant Ramkrishna] (1932-1950) “काम”, in महाराष्ट्र शब्दकोश (mahārāṣṭra śabdakoś) (in Marathi), पुणे [Pune]: महाराष्ट्र कोशमंडळ (mahārāṣṭra kośmaṇḍaḷ)
Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “kárman”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press

Nepali

Etymology

Inherited from Sanskrit कर्मन् (karman).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [käm]
Phonetic Devanagari: काम्

Noun

काम • (kām)

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

kāma (Latin script)
𑀓𑀸𑀫 (Brahmi script)
কাম (Bengali script)
කාම (Sinhalese script)
ကာမ or ၵႃမ (Burmese script)
กาม or กามะ (Thai script)
ᨠᩣᨾ (Tai Tham script)
ກາມ or ກາມະ (Lao script)
កាម (Khmer script)
𑄇𑄂𑄟 (Chakma script)

Noun

काम m

Devanagari script form of kāma (“lust”)

Declension

Declension table of "काम" (masculine)

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	कामो (kāmo)	कामा (kāmā)
Accusative (second)	कामं (kāmaṃ)	कामे (kāme)
Instrumental (third)	कामेन (kāmena)	कामेहि (kāmehi) or कामेभि (kāmebhi)
Dative (fourth)	कामस्स (kāmassa) or कामाय (kāmāya) or कामत्थं (kāmatthaṃ)	कामानं (kāmānaṃ)
Ablative (fifth)	कामस्मा (kāmasmā) or कामम्हा (kāmamhā) or कामा (kāmā)	कामेहि (kāmehi) or कामेभि (kāmebhi)
Genitive (sixth)	कामस्स (kāmassa)	कामानं (kāmānaṃ)
Locative (seventh)	कामस्मिं (kāmasmiṃ) or कामम्हि (kāmamhi) or कामे (kāme)	कामेसु (kāmesu)
Vocative (calling)	काम (kāma)	कामा (kāmā)

Sanskrit

Alternative scripts

কাম (Assamese script)
ᬓᬵᬫ (Balinese script)
কাম (Bengali script)
𑰎𑰯𑰦 (Bhaiksuki script)
𑀓𑀸𑀫 (Brahmi script)
ကာမ (Burmese script)
કામ (Gujarati script)
ਕਾਮ (Gurmukhi script)
𑌕𑌾𑌮 (Grantha script)
ꦏꦴꦩ (Javanese script)
𑂍𑂰𑂧 (Kaithi script)
ಕಾಮ (Kannada script)
កាម (Khmer script)
ກາມ (Lao script)
കാമ (Malayalam script)
ᡬᠠ᠎᠊ᠠᠮᠠ (Manchu script)
𑘎𑘰𑘦 (Modi script)
ᢉᠠᢗᠮᠠ᠋ (Mongolian script)
𑦮𑧑𑧆 (Nandinagari script)
𑐎𑐵𑐩 (Newa script)
କାମ (Odia script)
ꢒꢵꢪ (Saurashtra script)
𑆑𑆳𑆩 (Sharada script)
𑖎𑖯𑖦 (Siddham script)
කාම (Sinhalese script)
𑩜𑩛𑩴 (Soyombo script)
𑚊𑚭𑚢 (Takri script)
காம (Tamil script)
కామ (Telugu script)
กาม (Thai script)
ཀཱ་མ (Tibetan script)
𑒏𑒰𑒧 (Tirhuta script)
𑨋𑨊𑨢 (Zanabazar Square script)

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-Iranian *káHmas (“desire”), from Proto-Indo-European *kóh₂-mo-s, from *keh₂- (“to desire, wish”). Cognate to Avestan 𐬐𐬁𐬨𐬀 (kāma, “desire”), Persian (kâm, “desire”). Wider cognates include Latin cārus, whence French cher and English charity, and English whore.

Pronunciation

(Vedic) IPA^(key): /kɑ́ː.mɐ/
(Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /kɑː.mɐ/

Noun

काम • (kā́ma) stem, m

wish, desire, longing
love, affection, object of desire or of love or of pleasure
pleasure, enjoyment
love, especially sexual love or sensuality
Love or Desire personified

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of काम
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	कामः (kā́maḥ)	कामौ (kā́mau) कामा¹ (kā́mā¹)	कामाः (kā́māḥ) कामासः¹ (kā́māsaḥ¹)
accusative	कामम् (kā́mam)	कामौ (kā́mau) कामा¹ (kā́mā¹)	कामान् (kā́mān)
instrumental	कामेन (kā́mena)	कामाभ्याम् (kā́mābhyām)	कामैः (kā́maiḥ) कामेभिः¹ (kā́mebhiḥ¹)
dative	कामाय (kā́māya)	कामाभ्याम् (kā́mābhyām)	कामेभ्यः (kā́mebhyaḥ)
ablative	कामात् (kā́māt)	कामाभ्याम् (kā́mābhyām)	कामेभ्यः (kā́mebhyaḥ)
genitive	कामस्य (kā́masya)	कामयोः (kā́mayoḥ)	कामानाम् (kā́mānām)
locative	कामे (kā́me)	कामयोः (kā́mayoḥ)	कामेषु (kā́meṣu)
vocative	काम (kā́ma)	कामौ (kā́mau) कामा¹ (kā́mā¹)	कामाः (kā́māḥ) कामासः¹ (kā́māsaḥ¹)

¹Vedic

Derived terms

कामकाम (kāmakāma)
कामकार (kāmakāra)
कामकारतस् (kāmakāratas)
कामकृत (kāmakṛta)
कामगूण (kāmagūṇa)
कामचार (kāmacāra, “free unrestrained action”)
कामचारतस् (kāmacāratas, “according to one's inclination, voluntarily”)
कामचारिन् (kāmacārin, “moving or acting at pleasure, without restraint”)
कामज (kāmaja)
कामद (kāmada, “giving what is wished, granting desires”)
कामदहन (kāmadahana)
कामदान (kāmadāna)
कामदीहिनि (kāmadīhini)
कामदेव (kāmadeva)
कामधर्म (kāmadharma)
कामधेनु (kāmadhenu)
कामन (kāmana)
कामना (kāmanā)
कामबद्ध (kāmabaddha, “bound by love”)
कामबल (kāmabala, “force of desire, sexual power”)
कामबाण (kāmabāṇa, “arrow of the god of love”)
कामबिन्दु (kāmabindu, “a 'wish-drop', anything dropped into the fire to procure the fulfilment of a wish, drop of melted butter”)
कामभोग (kāmabhoga, “gratification of the desires, sensual gratification”)
काममय (kāmamaya)
काममर्दन (kāmamardana)
काममिनी (kāmaminī)
काममू्त
काममोह (kāmamoha)
कामम् (kāmam)
कामलुब्ध (kāmalubdha)
कामशास्त्र (kāmaśāstra, “a treatise on pleasure or sexual love”)
कामसूत्र (kāmasūtra, “treatise on pleasure or sexual love by Vātsyāyana, the kāma·sūtra”)

Descendants

Dardic:
- Kashmiri: کٲم (kạ̄m)
Maharastri Prakrit: 𑀓𑀸𑀫 (kāma)
Paisaci Prakrit:
- Punjabi: ਕਾਮ (kāma)
Pali: kāma
- → Burmese: ကာမ (kama.)
- → Khmer: កាម (kaam)
- → Lao: ກາມ (kām)
- → Thai: กาม (gaam)
Sauraseni Prakrit: 𑀓𑀸𑀫 (kāma)
- >? Romani: kamel
→ Hindi: काम (kām)
→ Urdu: کام (kām)
→ English: kama
→ Japanese: カーマ (Kāma)
→ Lao: ກາມ (kām)
→ Thai: กาม (gaam)

Proper noun

काम • (kāma) stem, m

(Hinduism) Kamadeva, the god of love

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of काम
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	कामः (kāmaḥ)	कामौ (kāmau) कामा¹ (kāmā¹)	कामाः (kāmāḥ) कामासः¹ (kāmāsaḥ¹)
accusative	कामम् (kāmam)	कामौ (kāmau) कामा¹ (kāmā¹)	कामान् (kāmān)
instrumental	कामेन (kāmena)	कामाभ्याम् (kāmābhyām)	कामैः (kāmaiḥ) कामेभिः¹ (kāmebhiḥ¹)
dative	कामाय (kāmāya)	कामाभ्याम् (kāmābhyām)	कामेभ्यः (kāmebhyaḥ)
ablative	कामात् (kāmāt)	कामाभ्याम् (kāmābhyām)	कामेभ्यः (kāmebhyaḥ)
genitive	कामस्य (kāmasya)	कामयोः (kāmayoḥ)	कामानाम् (kāmānām)
locative	कामे (kāme)	कामयोः (kāmayoḥ)	कामेषु (kāmeṣu)
vocative	काम (kāma)	कामौ (kāmau) कामा¹ (kāmā¹)	कामाः (kāmāḥ) कामासः¹ (kāmāsaḥ¹)

¹Vedic

References

Monier Williams (1899) “काम”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 252.
Otto Böhtlingk, Richard Schmidt (1879-1928) “काम”, in Walter Slaje, Jürgen Hanneder, Paul Molitor, Jörg Ritter, editors, Nachtragswörterbuch des Sanskrit [Dictionary of Sanskrit with supplements] (in German), Halle-Wittenberg: Martin-Luther-Universität, published 2016
Mallory, J. P. with Adams, D. Q. (2006) The Oxford Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo-European World (Oxford Linguistics), New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 343

Hindi

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Noun

Declension

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Noun

Declension

Etymology 3

Noun

Related terms

Etymology 4

Noun

Related terms

Further reading

Konkani

Noun

Marathi

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

Derived terms

References

Nepali

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Pali

Alternative forms

Noun

Declension

Sanskrit

Alternative scripts

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

Derived terms

Descendants

Proper noun

Declension

References