प्रतिध्वनि (pratidhvni)
noun
A literary/formal word for 'echo' -- both the literal acoustic phenomenon and the figurative 'echo' of an idea or event. Everyday speech usually reaches for गूँज (goonj) instead.
Sense
1
:
echo (sound reflection)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: गूँज (goonj)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This word is built from प्रति (prati, 'against/back') plus ध्वनि (dhvani, 'sound'), so it literally means 'sound thrown back' -- a nice transparent Sanskrit compound once you know the pieces. You will meet it more in a school essay on पहाड़ (pahaad, 'mountain') acoustics than in a friend's story about shouting into a valley.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for this word in casual speech about a shout bouncing off a wall; native speakers would say गूँज (goonj) there and save प्रतिध्वनि (pratidhvni) for writing or a more deliberate, descriptive register.
Sample Sentences:
पहाड़ों में चिल्लाने से प्रतिध्वनि सुनाई देती है।
When you shout in the mountains, an echo is heard.
(pahaadon men chillaane se pratidhvni sunaaii detii hai।)
गुफा में उसकी आवाज़ की प्रतिध्वनि गूँज उठी।
In the cave, the echo of his voice rang out.
(guphaa men uskii aavaaz kii pratidhvni goonj uthii।)
इस कमरे की दीवारें इतनी सख़्त हैं कि हर आवाज़ की प्रतिध्वनि बनती है।
The walls of this room are so hard that an echo forms for every sound.
(is kamre kii diivaaren itnii sakht hain ki har aavaaz kii pratidhvni bantii hai।)
विज्ञान की किताब में लिखा है कि प्रतिध्वनि ध्वनि के परावर्तन से उत्पन्न होती है।
The science textbook says that an echo is produced by the reflection of sound.
(vigyaan kii kitaab men likhaa hai ki pratidhvni dhvani ke paraavartan se utpann hotii hai।)
अगर तुम इस सुनसान हॉल में बोलोगे, तो तुम्हें अपनी ही प्रतिध्वनि सुनाई देगी।
If you speak in this empty hall, you will hear your own echo.
(agar tum is sunsaan hol men bologe, to tumhen apnii hii pratidhvni sunaaii degii।)
बच्चे कुएँ में झाँककर अपनी प्रतिध्वनि सुनने की कोशिश कर रहे थे।
The children were peering into the well trying to hear their own echo.
(bachche kuen men jhaankkar apnii pratidhvni sunne kii koshish kar rahe the।)
काश इस सभागार में प्रतिध्वनि न होती, तो भाषण साफ़ सुनाई देता।
If only there were no echo in this auditorium, the speech would be heard clearly.
(kaash is sabhaagaar men pratidhvni n hotii, to bhaashan saaf sunaaii detaa।)
यह देखने के लिए कि प्रतिध्वनि कैसे बनती है, हमने कक्षा में एक प्रयोग किया।
To see how an echo forms, we did an experiment in class.
(yah dekhne ke lie ki pratidhvni kaise bantii hai, hamne kakshaa men ek prayog kiyaa।)
सुनसान सुरंग में हर कदम की प्रतिध्वनि गूँजती रहती है।
In the deserted tunnel, the echo of every footstep keeps resounding.
(sunsaan surang men har kadam kii pratidhvni goonjtii rahtii hai।)
Sense
2
:
echo, reverberation (figurative -- of an idea, event, or feeling)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: गूँज (goonj, figurative use also common), असर (asar, impact/effect, broader meaning)
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: News writing and political commentary love this figurative sense -- a leader's speech is said to leave a प्रतिध्वनि (pratidhvni) in people's minds, much like English 'the speech echoed through the nation.' It signals a slightly elevated, thoughtful register rather than casual chat.
Sample Sentences:
उनके भाषण की प्रतिध्वनि आज भी लोगों के मन में सुनाई देती है।
The echo of his speech can still be heard in people's minds even today.
(unke bhaashan kii pratidhvni aaj bhii logon ke man men sunaaii detii hai।)
इस घटना की प्रतिध्वनि पूरे देश में गूंजी।
The reverberation of this incident echoed across the whole country.
(is ghatnaa kii pratidhvni poore desh men goonjii।)
क्रांति के उस नारे की प्रतिध्वनि आज भी सुनाई देती रहती है।
The echo of that revolutionary slogan is still felt even today.
(kraanti ke us naare kii pratidhvni aaj bhii sunaaii detii rahtii hai।)
उनके शब्दों की प्रतिध्वनि पाठकों के हृदय में बस गई है।
The echo of his words has settled deep in readers' hearts.
(unke shabdon kii pratidhvni paathkon ke hriday men bas gaii hai।)
यदि यह विचार सही दिशा में फैले, तो इसकी प्रतिध्वनि कई पीढ़ियों तक बनी रहे।
If this idea spreads in the right direction, may its echo endure for many generations.
(yadi yah vichaar sahii dishaa men phaile, to iskii pratidhvni kaii piidhiyon tak banii rahe।)
प्रधानमंत्री के संबोधन की प्रतिध्वनि संसद के गलियारों में महसूस की गई।
The echo of the prime minister's address was felt in the corridors of parliament.
(pradhaanmantrii ke sambodhan kii pratidhvni sansad ke galiyaaron men mahsoos kii gaii।)
अगर वह भाषण न दिया जाता, तो उसकी प्रतिध्वनि इतिहास में दर्ज न होती।
If that speech had not been given, its echo would not have been recorded in history.
(agar vah bhaashan n diyaa jaataa, to uskii pratidhvni itihaas men darj n hotii।)
कवि की उस पंक्ति की प्रतिध्वनि सदियों से साहित्य में गूंजती रही है।
The echo of that poet's line has resonated through literature for centuries.
(kavi kii us pankti kii pratidhvni sadiyon se saahity men goonjtii rahii hai।)
समाज सुधार की इस मांग की प्रतिध्वनि अगले चुनाव तक बनी रहेगी।
The echo of this demand for social reform will persist until the next election.
(samaaj sudhaar kii is maang kii pratidhvni agle chunaav tak banii rahegii।)
उस दुर्घटना की प्रतिध्वनि जनता की चेतना पर गहरा प्रभाव छोड़ गई।
The reverberation of that tragedy left a deep mark on public consciousness.
(us durghatnaa kii pratidhvni jantaa kii chetnaa par gahraa prabhaav chhod gaii।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
प्रतिध्वनि
(pratidhvni)
(sg.f.oblique):
प्रतिध्वनि
(pratidhvni)
(pl.f.direct):
प्रतिध्वनिएँ
(pratidhvnien)
(pl.f.oblique):
प्रतिध्वनिओं
(pratidhvnion)