चतुर

Hindi

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit चतुर (catura).

Pronunciation

• (Delhi Hindi) IPA^(key): /t͡ʃə.t̪ʊɾ/,

Adjective

चतुर • (catur) (indeclinable)

1. smart
2. shrewd, intelligent
3. clever, astute, sensible
4. ingenious, skilled, capable
5. dexterous, nimble
6. clear-sighted

Derived terms

• चतुराई (caturāī)

Sanskrit

Alternative scripts

Etymology

Of unclear origin.

Traditionally derived from चतुर् (catur, “four”), with an interpretation of "having the four"; the four in question are folk-etymologically interpreted as the Vedas.

An alternative theory considers the word a Dravidian borrowing; compare Tamil சதுர் (catur, “ability, skill, dexterity”) and Telugu చదువు (caduvu, “to read, study”). In light of the exact phonetic and semantic match as well as the word's lack of attestation in Vedic, this derivation is quite likely. However, it is also possible that the Dravidian terms are borrowed from Indo-Aryan rather than the other way around.

The relation to words like चटुल (caṭula, “trembling, unsteady, fine”), चटु (caṭu, “kind or flattering words”), and चाटु (cāṭu, “pleasing words, flattery”) is unclear and uncertain.

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /t͡ɕɐ.tu.ɾɐ/
• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ɕɐ.t̪u.ɾɐ/

Adjective

चतुर • (catura)

1. dexterous, clever, ingenious, shrewd
2. charming, agreeable

Declension

Noun

चतुर • (catura) stem, m

1. a round pillow
2. Labeo rohita, a fish of the carp family Cyprinidae, found in the Ganges river

Declension

Noun

चतुर • (catura) stem, n

1. an elephant's stable

Declension

Derived terms

• चातुर्य (cāturya)

Descendants

• → Hindi: चतुर (catur) (learned)
• → Punjabi: ਚਤਰ (catar) (learned)
• → Telugu: చతుర (catura)

References

• Monier Williams (1899) “चतुर”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, , new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 386/1.
• Sanskrit Dictionary for Spoken Sanskrit