Here are the most common meanings:
* Mother: This is the most common and literal meaning of "mātr". It refers to a female parent.
* Measure: It can also refer to a "measure" or "unit", often used in a technical context like mathematics or linguistics.
* Formative element: In the context of phonetics, "mātr" can refer to a phonetic unit or sound element, similar to a "phoneme" in modern linguistics.
* Matrix: In some contexts, it can also be understood as a "matrix" or "origin", signifying the source or base of something.
It's important to consider the context in which the word is used to determine its specific meaning. For example, in a sentence like "mātr bhasha" (मातृ भाषा), it means "mother tongue" or "native language." In contrast, in the context of phonetics, "mātr" would refer to a basic sound element.
Therefore, "mātr" is a word with multiple layers of meaning, adding richness and depth to the Sanskrit language.