कण्टक

Sanskrit

Of uncertain origin.

Traditionally derived from कृन्तति (kṛntati, “to cut, tear”), though this has some semantic difficulties.

Less likely, related to Ancient Greek ᾰ̓́κᾰνθᾰ (ákantha, “thorn, prickle”), and together with it borrowed from an Indo-Mediterranean substrate.

Finally, has been linked with Ancient Greek κεντέω (kentéō, “to prick, stab”).

कण्टक • (káṇṭaka) stem, m or n

a thorn
anything pointed, the point of a pin or needle, a prickle, sting
a fishbone
a fingernail
goose pimples resulting from thrilling emotions (compare कण्टकित (kaṇṭakita))
unevenness, roughness (as on the surface of the tongue)
any troublesome, seditious person (who is, as it were, a thorn to the state and an enemy of order and good government), a paltry foe, enemy in general (compare क्षुद्र-शत्रु (kṣudra-śatru))
a sharp stinging pain, symptom of disease
a vexing or injurious speech
any annoyance or source of vexation; obstacle, impediment
the first, fourth, seventh, and tenth lunar mansions
a term in the न्याय (nyāya) philosophy implying refutation of argument, detection of error
a bamboo
workshop, manufactory
boundary of a village
fault, defect
name of मकर (makara) (or the marine monster, the symbol of काम-देव (kāma-deva))
name of the horse of शाक्य-मुनि (śākya-muni)
name of an अग्रहार (agrahāra)
name of a barber

Masculine a-stem declension of कण्टक (káṇṭaka)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	कण्टकः káṇṭakaḥ	कण्टकौ / कण्टका¹ káṇṭakau / káṇṭakā¹	कण्टकाः / कण्टकासः¹ káṇṭakāḥ / káṇṭakāsaḥ¹
Vocative	कण्टक káṇṭaka	कण्टकौ / कण्टका¹ káṇṭakau / káṇṭakā¹	कण्टकाः / कण्टकासः¹ káṇṭakāḥ / káṇṭakāsaḥ¹
Accusative	कण्टकम् káṇṭakam	कण्टकौ / कण्टका¹ káṇṭakau / káṇṭakā¹	कण्टकान् káṇṭakān
Instrumental	कण्टकेन káṇṭakena	कण्टकाभ्याम् káṇṭakābhyām	कण्टकैः / कण्टकेभिः¹ káṇṭakaiḥ / káṇṭakebhiḥ¹
Dative	कण्टकाय káṇṭakāya	कण्टकाभ्याम् káṇṭakābhyām	कण्टकेभ्यः káṇṭakebhyaḥ
Ablative	कण्टकात् káṇṭakāt	कण्टकाभ्याम् káṇṭakābhyām	कण्टकेभ्यः káṇṭakebhyaḥ
Genitive	कण्टकस्य káṇṭakasya	कण्टकयोः káṇṭakayoḥ	कण्टकानाम् káṇṭakānām
Locative	कण्टके káṇṭake	कण्टकयोः káṇṭakayoḥ	कण्टकेषु káṇṭakeṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

Neuter a-stem declension of कण्टक (káṇṭaka)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	कण्टकम् káṇṭakam	कण्टके káṇṭake	कण्टकानि / कण्टका¹ káṇṭakāni / káṇṭakā¹
Vocative	कण्टक káṇṭaka	कण्टके káṇṭake	कण्टकानि / कण्टका¹ káṇṭakāni / káṇṭakā¹
Accusative	कण्टकम् káṇṭakam	कण्टके káṇṭake	कण्टकानि / कण्टका¹ káṇṭakāni / káṇṭakā¹
Instrumental	कण्टकेन káṇṭakena	कण्टकाभ्याम् káṇṭakābhyām	कण्टकैः / कण्टकेभिः¹ káṇṭakaiḥ / káṇṭakebhiḥ¹
Dative	कण्टकाय káṇṭakāya	कण्टकाभ्याम् káṇṭakābhyām	कण्टकेभ्यः káṇṭakebhyaḥ
Ablative	कण्टकात् káṇṭakāt	कण्टकाभ्याम् káṇṭakābhyām	कण्टकेभ्यः káṇṭakebhyaḥ
Genitive	कण्टकस्य káṇṭakasya	कण्टकयोः káṇṭakayoḥ	कण्टकानाम् káṇṭakānām
Locative	कण्टके káṇṭake	कण्टकयोः káṇṭakayoḥ	कण्टकेषु káṇṭakeṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

Monier Williams (1899) “कण्टक”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 245/2.
Mayrhofer, Manfred (1992) Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen‎^[1] (in German), volume 1, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 292