Definition of: Sanskrit

(san′skrit) noun
The ancient and classical language of the Hindus of India, belonging to the Indic branch of the Indo–Iranian subfamily of Indo–European languages. It includes specifically Vedic Sanskrit, the language of the Vedas, and the later classical Sanskrit of India's great religious, philosophical, and poetic literature, still used for sacred or learned writings, and distinguished from the vernacular Prakrit. Also San′scrit. Abbr. Skt. [<Skt. samskṛita well–formed <sam- together + kṛ make, do]
—San′skrit·ist noun