Armenian edit

Etymology edit

Learned borrowing from Old Armenian ներքինի (nerkʻini).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

ներքինի (nerkʻini)

  1. eunuch

Declension edit

Old Armenian edit

Etymology edit

From ներքին (nerkʻin, inner) +‎ (-i). Calqued from some Iranian language: compare Sogdian 𐫀𐫗𐫅𐫡𐫏𐫐 (ʾndryk /⁠andarīk⁠/, eunuch), 𐼰𐼻𐽂𐽀𐼷𐼸 (ʾntryk /⁠andarīk⁠/, eunuch, castrated), based on a descendant of Proto-Indo-Iranian *Hantár (within).[1][2]

Noun edit

ներքինի (nerkʻini)

  1. eunuch (castrated man)
    ձայն ներքինւոյjayn nerkʻinwoyshrill voice
    ներքինի առնել, ներքինիս խզելnerkʻini aṙnel, nerkʻinis xzelto eunuchate, to geld, to castrate
    անմորուս են ներքինիքanmorus en nerkʻinikʻeunuchs have no beard
  2. eunuch (such a man employed as harem guard or as court or state official)

Declension edit

Derived terms edit

Descendants edit

  • Armenian: ներքինի (nerkʻini)

References edit

  1. ^ Meillet, Antoine (1922) “De quelques mots parthes en arménien”, in Revue des Études Arméniennes (in French), volume 2, page 5
  2. ^ Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1977) “ներքինի”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume III, Yerevan: University Press, page 447a

Further reading edit

  • Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “ներքինի”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
  • Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “ներքինի”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy