գէշ

Alternative forms

• գիշ (giš) (post-classical, by back-formation from compounds such as գիշ-ակեր (giš-aker))

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. According to Pokorny, from Proto-Indo-European *weys- (“to flow; poison”), with cognates such as Avestan 𐬬𐬀𐬉𐬱𐬀𐬵‎ (vaēšah, “decay, decomposition”), 𐬬𐬌𐬱-‎ (viš-), 𐬬𐬌𐬱𐬀‎ (viša, “poison”), Sanskrit विष (viṣa, “poison”), Ancient Greek ἰός (iós), Latin virus. According to J̌ahukyan 2010, a borrowing from the Iranian cognate is more likely than direct inheritance from Proto-Indo-European.

Noun

գէշ • (gēš)

1. corpse, carrion, dead body

   գէշ արկանել ― gēš arkanel ― to devour or make beasts eat

2. ripped piece of body

   գէշ գէշ պատառիլ ― gēš gēš pataṙil ― to be torn into pieces

3. (by extension) a piece of anything broken, a splinter, fragment

Adjective

գէշ • (gēš)

1. (post-classical) bad, ill

References

• Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “գէշ”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Awetikʿean, G.; Siwrmēlean, X.; Awgerean, M. (1836–1837), “գէշ”, in Nor baṙgirkʿ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1971–1979), “գէշ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press
• Pokorny, Julius (1959), “³u̯eis-”, in Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume III, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 1134
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (2010), “գէշ”, in Vahan Sargsyan, editor, Hayeren stugabanakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Asoghik, page 159b