# virama

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A diacritic used in most writing systems of the Indian subcontinent to signify the lack of an inherent vowel.
2. A sign which serves the same purpose in any writing system.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Sanskrit विराम (virāma, “stop”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/virama