Sanskrit

Sanskrit, pronounced /ˈsænskrɪt/ and written attributively as संस्कृत- (saṃskṛta-), and nominally as संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is a classical language categorized within the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It originated in South Asia subsequent to the diffusion of its precursor languages from the northwest during the late Bronze Age. Sanskrit holds the status of the sacred language in Hinduism, serves as the language of classical Hindu philosophy, and finds its place in historical texts of Buddhism and Jainism. It functioned as a lingua franca in ancient and medieval South Asia. With the spread of Hindu and Buddhist cultures to Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Central Asia in the early medieval period, Sanskrit evolved into a language of religion, high culture, and the political elites in various regions. Consequently, it left a profound influence on the languages of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, particularly in their formal and scholarly vocabularies.