•(Hinduism) an ancient language of India (the language of the Vedas and of Hinduism); an official language of India although it is now used only for religious purposes
Learned borrowing from Hindi संस्कृत (sanskŕt), itself a learned borrowing from Sanskrit सं॒स्कृ॒त (saṃskṛtá, “perfected; prepared; constructed; refined”). First use appears c. 1617 in the publications of Samuel Purchas.