Armenian edit

Etymology edit

From Old Armenian գազան (gazan).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

գազան (gazan)

  1. wild beast
  2. (figuratively) brute, cruel man

Declension edit

Adjective edit

գազան (gazan) (superlative ամենագազան)

  1. brutal, bestial; atrocious, savage
  2. (slang) excellent, very good, cool

Declension edit

Derived terms edit

Old Armenian edit

Etymology edit

An Iranian borrowing: compare Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (gzytn' /⁠gazīdan⁠/), Persian گزیدن (gazidan, to bite, sting), گزان (gazân, biting).[1][2][3][4]

Noun edit

գազան (gazan)

  1. wild predatory beast
    • 5th century, with changes and additions in later centuries, Baroyaxōs [Physiologus] Earliest recension (TR).2.1:[5]
      Սկսցուք ասել վասն առիւծուն, որ թագաւոր է ամենայն գազանաց կամ թէ ամենայն իսկ անասնոց։
      Skscʻukʻ asel vasn aṙiwcun, or tʻagawor ē amenayn gazanacʻ kam tʻē amenayn isk anasnocʻ.
      • Translation by Gohar Muradyan
        Let us begin to speak of the lion, the king of all the beasts or all the animals.
  2. elephant
  3. serpent; dragon
  4. (figuratively) brutal, beastly man

Declension edit

Adjective edit

գազան (gazan)

  1. strong (of brine, vinegar)

Declension edit

Derived terms edit

Descendants edit

  • Armenian: գազան (gazan)

References edit

  1. ^ Patkanean, Kʻerovbē (1880) “Tʻē inčʻ teġ ē bṙnum hayerēn lezun hndka-ewropakan lezuneri šrǰanum [About the Place of Armenian Among Indo-European Languages]”, in Pʻorj[1] (in Armenian), volume III, Tiflis, page 84
  2. ^ Pedersen, Holger (1905) “Zur armenischen Sprachgeschichte”, in Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung auf dem Gebiete der Indogermanischen Sprachen[2] (in German), volume 38, number 2, page 198
  3. ^ Bailey, H. W. (1970) “A Range of Iranica”, in Mary Boyce, Ilya Gershevitch, editors, W.B. Henning memorial volume[3], London: Lund Humphries, page 27
  4. ^ Olsen, Birgit Anette (1999) The noun in Biblical Armenian: origin and word-formation: with special emphasis on the Indo-European heritage (Trends in linguistics. Studies and monographs; 119), Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter, page 293
  5. ^ Muradyan, Gohar (2005) Physiologus: The Greek and Armenian Versions with a Study of Translation Technique (Hebrew University Armenian Studies; 6)‎[4], Leuven – Paris – Dudley: Peeters, pages 87, 141

Further reading edit

  • Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “գազան”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
  • Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “գազան”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
  • Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1971–1979) “գազան”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press