amazigh

See also: Amazigh

French

Etymology

From Berber amazigh, endogenous ethnonym. First attested in European languages in antiquity in Greek and Latin sources where it appears in various forms such as Μάσικες (Másikes) and Mazices.

In Berber, it has the meaning “free, noble man”. There is no consensus on its etymology. It seems to be the agent noun of an ancient radical *ZƔ which could be related to the verbal root ZƔ (“to set up tent”), attested in Central Atlas Tamazight and to the pan-Berber noun tazeqqa (“house”) (pl. tizeɣwin). If this link is correct, the word amaziɣ would have originally meant “the nomad, he who lives under the tent” or “the inhabitant, the resident”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.ma.ziɡ/, /a.ma.ziʁ/
• Homophones: amazighe, amazighes, amazighs

Adjective

amazigh (feminine amazighe, masculine plural amazighs, feminine plural amazighes)

1. Amazigh, Berber

Derived terms

• amazighité

Noun

amazigh m (uncountable)

1. Amazigh, Berber (language)

Spanish

Adjective

amazigh (invariable)

1. Amazigh

Noun

amazigh m or f by sense (plural amazigh)

1. Amazigh