ագան

Old Armenian

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. The original meaning may be “early”, hence անագան (anagan, “not early”), and related to այգ (ayg).

Adjective

ագան • (agan)

1. diligent, zealous (of a pupil, child)

Usage notes

The word is attested only once, in a late medieval song: Զի սիրելի իցես մարդկան,/ Լե՛ր յուսանելդ մանուկ ագան.

Derived terms

• անագան (anagan)

References

• Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “ագան”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “ագան”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1971–1979) “ագան”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press
• Martirosyan, Hrach (2010) “agan”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden and Boston: Brill, page 3