ختو

Arabic

Etymology

Tenth century, via Persian ختو (xotu) and via Karakhanid خُتُو (χutū).

Noun

خُتُو or خُتُوّ • (ḵutū or ḵutuww) m (obsolete)

1. horn of narwhal, walrus and certain such animals
   • 1333, an-Nuwayrīy, ar: نهاية الأرب في فنون الأدب [nihāyat al-ʾarab fī funūn al-adab, The Ultimate Ambition in the Arts of Erudition]‎^[1]:

     ثم عاد السلطان عند منصرفه من العراق إلى ما وراء النهر ووصل إلى سمرقند، فوافته بعد ذلك رسل جنكزخان ملك التتار وهم محمود الخوارزمي وعلى خواجه البخاري ويوسف بن كنكا الأتراري مصحوبين بمجلوبات الترك من نقر المعادن ونصب الختو ونوافج المسك وأحجار اليشب والثياب التي تسمى طرقوا وتتخذ من وبر الجمال البيض يباع الثوب منها بخمسين دينارا وأكثر.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Declension

Declension of noun خُتُو (ḵutū)‎; خُتُوّ (ḵutuww)

Singular	singular invariable‎; basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	خُتُو‎; خُتُوّ ḵutū‎; ḵutuww	الْخُتُو‎; الْخُتُوّ al-ḵutū‎; al-ḵutuww	خُتُو‎; خُتُوّ ḵutū‎; ḵutuww
Nominative	خُتُو‎; خُتُوٌّ ḵutū‎; ḵutuwwun	الْخُتُو‎; الْخُتُوُّ al-ḵutū‎; al-ḵutuwwu	خُتُو‎; خُتُوُّ ḵutū‎; ḵutuwwu
Accusative	خُتُو‎; خُتُوًّا ḵutū‎; ḵutuwwan	الْخُتُو‎; الْخُتُوَّ al-ḵutū‎; al-ḵutuwwa	خُتُو‎; خُتُوَّ ḵutū‎; ḵutuwwa
Genitive	خُتُو‎; خُتُوٍّ ḵutū‎; ḵutuwwin	الْخُتُو‎; الْخُتُوِّ al-ḵutū‎; al-ḵutuwwi	خُتُو‎; خُتُوِّ ḵutū‎; ḵutuwwi

References

• King, Anya (2013) “Early Islamic Sources on the Kitan Liao: The Role of Trade”, in Journal of Song-Yuan Studies, volume 43, →DOI, pages 253–271
• King, Anya (2015) “The New materia medica of the Islamicate Tradition: The Pre-Islamic Context”, in Journal of the American Oriental Society‎^[2], volume 135, number 3, →DOI, page 509 of 499–528
• Laufer, Berthold (1913) “Arabic and Chinese Trade in Walrus and Narwhal Ivory”, in T'oung Pao, volume 14, →DOI, pages 315–364
• Laufer, Berthold (1916) “Supplementary Notes On Walrus and Narwhal Ivory”, in T'oung Pao‎^[3], volume 17, →DOI, pages 348–389

Karakhanid

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 骨咄 (MC kwot twot|twat), from Khitan 榾柮犀 (MC kwot twot|dzwat sej) recorded in the History of Liao.

Noun

خُتُو (χutū)

1. horn of narwhal, walrus and certain such animals

Descendants

• → Arabic: خُتُو (ḵutū)
• → Persian: خُتُو (xutû)

References

• Dankoff, Robert (1973) “A Note on khutū and chatuq”, in Journal of the American Oriental Society‎^[4], volume 93, number 4, pages 542–543
• King, Anya (2013) “Early Islamic Sources on the Kitan Liao: The Role of Trade”, in Journal of Song-Yuan Studies, volume 43, →DOI, pages 253–271
• King, Anya (2015) “The New materia medica of the Islamicate Tradition: The Pre-Islamic Context”, in Journal of the American Oriental Society‎^[5], volume 135, number 3, →DOI, page 509 of 499–528
• Laufer, Berthold (1913) “Arabic and Chinese Trade in Walrus and Narwhal Ivory”, in T'oung Pao, volume 14, →DOI, pages 315–364
• Laufer, Berthold (1916) “Supplementary Notes On Walrus and Narwhal Ivory”, in T'oung Pao‎^[6], volume 17, →DOI, pages 348–389

Persian

Etymology

Tenth century, via Karakhanid خُتُو (χutū) from Middle Chinese 骨咄 (MC kwot twot|twat), from Khitan 榾柮犀 (MC kwot twot|dzwat sej) recorded in the History of Liao.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [xu.tuː]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [xʊ.t̪ʰuː]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [xʊ.t̪ʰuː]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [xʊ.t̪ʰuː]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [xu.t̪ʰu]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [xo.t̪ʰuː]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [χu.t̪ʰu]

Readings
Classical reading?	xutū
Dari reading?	xutū
Iranian reading?	xotu
Tajik reading?	xutu

Noun

ختو • (xotu) (obsolete)

1. horn of narwhal, walrus and certain such animals

References

• King, Anya (2013) “Early Islamic Sources on the Kitan Liao: The Role of Trade”, in Journal of Song-Yuan Studies, volume 43, →DOI, pages 253–271
• Laufer, Berthold (1913) “Arabic and Chinese Trade in Walrus and Narwhal Ivory”, in T'oung Pao, volume 14, →DOI, pages 315–364
• Laufer, Berthold (1916) “Supplementary Notes On Walrus and Narwhal Ivory”, in T'oung Pao‎^[7], volume 17, →DOI, pages 348–389
• Steingass, Francis Joseph (1892) “ختو”, in A Comprehensive Persian–English dictionary, London: Routledge & K. Paul
• Vullers, Johann August (1856–1864) “ختو”, in Lexicon Persico-Latinum etymologicum cum linguis maxime cognatis Sanscrita et Zendica et Pehlevica comparatum, e lexicis persice scriptis Borhâni Qâtiu, Haft Qulzum et Bahâri agam et persico-turcico Farhangi-Shuûrî confectum, adhibitis etiam Castelli, Meninski, Richardson et aliorum operibus et auctoritate scriptorum Persicorum adauctum‎^[8] (in Latin), volume II, Gießen: J. Ricker, page 659a