Hindi

Noun

कवि • ‎(kavi) m

1. poet

Sanskrit

Etymology

From root कौति ‎(√kū); compare कव ‎(kava), आकूत ‎(ā́kūta), आकूति ‎(ā́kūti), काव्य ‎(kāvya).

Adjective

कवि • ‎(kaví)

1. gifted with insight, intelligent, knowing, enlightened, wise, sensible, prudent, skilful, cunning
   • RV 1.11.4

     पुरां भिन्दुर्युवा कविरमितौजा अजायत |

     इन्द्रो विश्वस्यकर्मणो धर्ता वज्री पुरुष्टुतः ||

     ; purāṃ bhinduryuvā kaviramitaujā ajāyata |

     indro viśvasyakarmaṇo dhartā vajrī puruṣṭutaḥ ||

     Crusher of forts, the young, the wise, of strength unmeasured, was he born

     Sustainer of each sacred rite, Indra, the Thunderer, much-extolled.

Declension

Noun

कवि • ‎(kaví) m

1. thinker, intelligent man, man of understanding, leader
2. wise man, sage, seer, prophet
   • RV 6.32.2

     स मातरा सूर्येणा कवीनामवासयद रुजदद्रिं गर्णानः |

   सवाधीभिर्र्क्वभिर्वावशान उदुस्रियाणामस्र्जन निदानम ||

   sa mātarā sūryeṇā kavīnāmavāsayad rujadadriṃ ghṛṇānaḥ |

   svādhībhirṛkvabhirvāvaśāna udusriyāṇāmasṛjan nidānam ||

   Amid the sages, with the Sun he brightened the Parents: glorified, he burst the mountain;

   And, roaring with the holy-thoughted singers, he loosed the bond that held the beams of Morning.

3. a singer, bard, poet (but in this sense without any technical application in the Veda)
4. name of several gods, (especially) of Agni
5. name of Varuna, Indra, the Ashvins, Maruts, Adityas
6. name of the Soma
7. name of the soma priest and other sacrificers
8. (probably) name of a particular poet
9. cf. अङ्गिरस् ‎(áṅgiras) and उशनस् ‎(uśánas)
10. name of the ancient sages or patriarchs (as spirits now surrounding the sun)
11. of the Ribhus (as skilful in contrivance)
12. of Pushan (as leader or guider)
13. name of a son of Brahma
14. name of Brahma
15. of a son of Bhrigu and father of Shukra
16. that of Shukra (regent of the planet Venus and preceptor of the demons)
17. name of the planet Venus
18. name of the sons of several Manus
19. name of a son of Kaushika and pupil of Garga
20. name of a son of Rsabha
21. name of Valmiki
22. keeper, herd
23. (figuratively) name of the gates of the sacrificial enclosure (compare कवष् ‎(kaváṣ))
24. the sun
25. name of various men
26. the soul in the Samkhya philosophy
27. cunning fighter
28. owl

Declension

Descendants

• Telugu: కవి ‎(kavi)

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 0264
• Carl Capeller, A Sanskrit-English dictionary, based upon the St. Petersburg lexicons, London: Luzac & Co., 1891, page 114
• Arthur A. Macdonell, A practical Sanskrit dictionary with transliteration, accentuation, and etymological analysis throughout, London: Oxford University Press, 1893, page 065
• Horace Hayman Wilson, A dictionary in Sanscrit and English, 2nd ed., Calcutta: Education Press, Circular Road, 1832, page 204