Abugida
EnglishWriting system where consonant-vowel sequences are written as a unit; consonant glyphs carry inherent vowels modified by diacritics.
Sanskrit
अक्षरसमाम्नाय (akṣarasamāmnāya)
Pali
akkhara-sambhāra
Tibetan
ཡིག་སྒྱུར་ (yig sgor)
Lexicon Explorer
Ligature
EnglishJoined or fused glyphs representing consonant clusters, frequently used in scripts like Devanagari, Khmer, and Tibetan.
Sanskrit
संयुक्ताक्षर (saṃyuktākṣara)
Khmer
បញ្ចូលអក្សរ (bânchoul âksâr)
Burmese
ဖက်စည်းစာလုံး (phet-si sa-lone)
Matra
SanskritVowel diacritic modifying a base consonant. In Brahmic scripts, matras can appear above, below, or surrounding consonants.
English
Vowel marker
Khmer
ស្រៈបន្ថែម (sra bânthem)
Tibetan
རྟགས་བརྒྙན་ (rtags brnyan)
Palm-Leaf Manuscript
EnglishTraditional manuscript medium across South and Southeast Asia, often influencing rounded script forms to avoid tearing fibers.
Pali
tāla-patta potthaka
Sinhala
ඔලා ලියමන් (olā liyaman)
Burmese
ပေတ စာအုပ် (pe tsa-oak)
Semantic Filters
Tailor the lexicon to specific research needs by stacking filters. Combine script family, usage context, and historical period to surface relevant terminology.
Script Family: Nagari
Context: Epigraphy
Period: 8th–12th c.
Result: 78 entries focusing on inscriptional terminology within the Nagari tradition. Export results or pin them to your research dashboard.
Pronunciation Guide
Audio clips recorded with native speakers and regional scholars ensure accurate pronunciation across Sanskrit, Khmer, Burmese, and Tibetan.
Thematic Glossaries
Calligraphy Styles
Catalog of stylistic labels across Brahmic scripts, including copperplate and brush traditions.
Manuscript Anatomy
Terminology for components like binding cords, protective boards, and storage chests in palm-leaf and paper manuscripts.
Scribes & Guilds
Names and titles of scribal communities, their patron dynasties, and associated script variants.
Contribute to the Lexicon
Scholars and community custodians are invited to submit new terminology, provide regional variants, or record audio pronunciations to enrich the lexicon.
Submission Guidelines
- Include citation references and regional usage examples.
- Provide IPA transcription and audio when possible.
- Flag contested terms for editorial review.