vigan

Albanian

Etymology

A formation from vig, possibly related to Proto-Indo-European *weyk- (“to curve, bend; to exchange”). Compare Latin vinco (“I win, beat”), Lithuanian veikiù (“make work”), Old High German wig (“battle, struggle”), wigant (“cripple”), Old English wǣgan (“to torment, smite”). Less likely from viganj (“forge”), with sematic problems.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [viˈɡan]

Noun

vigan m (plural viganë, definite vigani, definite plural viganët)

1. a very big person, a giant
2. (figurative) leading light
3. (figurative) flagship
4. (mythology) giant

Related terms

• vig

References

• Orel, Vladimir E. (1998) “vigan”, in Albanian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden, Boston, Köln: Brill, →ISBN, page 507