anna dātṛ

 anna dātṛ means “giver of food” in Sanskrit, referring to someone who provides nourishment and, in some contexts, an epithet of deities such as Śiva or Durgā.

Core meaning

The term annadātṛ (अन्नदातृ) is a tatpuruṣa compound formed from:

• anna — “food”
• dātṛ — “giver, donor”

The combined sense is “one who gives food” or “provider of food.” This definition is explicitly given in the Sanskrit dictionary entry: “Annadātṛ … giving food” and “One who gives food, a charitable man”

Wisdom Library

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Grammatical and lexical notes

• It is used as m./f./n., depending on form, but typically masculine when referring to a person

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• It is synonymous with annada, annadāyin, and annaprada

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Religious and cultural usage

The term is also recorded as an epithet of Śiva and Durgā in traditional lexicons

Wisdom Library

. In these contexts, it highlights the deity as a sustainer or provider of nourishment.

Summary

So, “anna dātṛ” = giver of food, used both for a generous person who provides food and as a devotional title for certain Hindu deities.