महान् (mahaan)

adjective A literary/formal variant of the everyday adjective महान (mahaan, 'great'), with the Sanskrit-style visarga-like nasal ending; means 'great, illustrious' when describing a person, deed, or era.
Sense 1 : great, illustrious, eminent
adjective
Synonyms: महान (mahaan, everyday spelling), विशाल (vishaal, huge/vast, only overlaps for grandeur of scale), श्रेष्ठ (shreshth, best/superior), महत्तम (mahattam, literary, superlative sense)
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: You will see महान्  (mahaan) on statues, in textbook chapter titles, and in phrases praising national heroes -- महात्मा गांधी एक महान् नेता थे (mahaatmaa gaandhii ek mahaan netaa the, 'Mahatma Gandhi was a great leader') -- while in daily chat people almost always just say महान (mahaan). Think of the nasal ending as a formal flourish carried over from Sanskrit, similar to how English keeps Latin-flavored words for solemn occasions.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often write or say this as महान (mahaan) in ordinary speech and reserve महान्  (mahaan) for formal writing, inscriptions, titles, or reverential contexts (e.g. referring to freedom fighters or gods) -- both are 'correct,' but महान्  (mahaan) can sound stiff or bookish in casual conversation. 2) This is an invariant adjective in this literary form -- do not attempt to inflect it for gender/number the way you would कड़ा (kadaa).
Sample Sentences:
महात्मा गांधी एक महान् नेता थे। Mahatma Gandhi was a great leader.
(mahaatmaa gaandhii ek mahaan netaa the।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह देश के महान् सपूतों को श्रद्धांजलि देने का अवसर है। This is an occasion to pay tribute to the great sons of the nation.
(yah desh ke mahaan sapooton ko shraddhaanjli dene kaa avsar hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस महान् आत्मा का जीवन आने वाली पीढ़ियों को प्रेरित करता रहेगा। This great soul's life will continue to inspire coming generations.
(is mahaan aatmaa kaa jiivan aane vaalii piidhiyon ko prerit kartaa rahegaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
क्या कोई साधारण मनुष्य ऐसा महान् कार्य कर सकता है? Can an ordinary human accomplish such a great deed?
(kyaa koii saadhaaran manushy aisaa mahaan kaary kar saktaa hai?)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यदि वे उस युग में जन्मे होते, तो शायद वे भी महान् कहलाते। If he had been born in that era, perhaps he too would have been called great.
(yadi ve us yug men janme hote, to shaayad ve bhii mahaan kahlaate।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Passive
इस महान् ग्रंथ की रचना ऋषियों द्वारा की गई थी। This great scripture was composed by the sages.
(is mahaan granth kii rachnaa rishiyon dvaaraa kii gaii thii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
हे महान् गुरु, हमें ज्ञान का मार्ग दिखाइए। O great teacher, show us the path of knowledge.
(he mahaan guru, hamen gyaan kaa maarg dikhaaie।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
उसकी महान् तपस्या के कारण देवता भी उसका सम्मान करते थे। Because of his great austerity, even the gods respected him.
(uskii mahaan tapasyaa ke kaaran devtaa bhii uskaa sammaan karte the।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह मंदिर किसी महान् राजा की भक्ति का प्रमाण है। This temple is proof of some great king's devotion.
(yah mandir kisii mahaan raajaa kii bhakti kaa pramaan hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: महान् (mahaan)