դղեակ

Alternative forms

• դղեկ (dłek) (dialectal)

Etymology

Abulaje connects with Old Georgian დილეგი (dilegi, “fortress; dungeon”) and derives both from Iranian. This is accepted by Ačaṙean, who specifies that the Armenian is borrowed from Early Middle Persian and the Georgian from Late Middle Persian because of the well-known k → g development in Middle Persian. Ačaṙean also adduces Arabic دولج‎ (daulaj, “lair of wild animals, cavern, subterranean dwelling”) as borrowed from Late Middle Persian *dileg.

The Iranian word itself has not been identified.

The sense development “fortress” → “dungeon” is common. Compare Armenian բերդ (berd, “fortress; dungeon”).

Noun

դղեակ • (dłeak)

1. fortress, fort
2. dungeon

References

• Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “դղեակ”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Awetikʿean, G.; Siwrmēlean, X.; Awgerean, M. (1836–1837), “դղեակ”, in Nor baṙgirkʿ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1971), “դղեակ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), volume I, 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press, page 673b
• Abulaje, Ilia (1944), ““Dłeak” baṙi stugabanutʿyunə [The Etymology of the Word Dłeak]”, in Bulletin of the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR: Social Sciences‎ (in Armenian), volume 1–2, pages 105–106
• Ačaṙyan, Hračʿya (1944), “Haykakankʿ A [Armeniaca I]”, in Bulletin of the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR: Social Sciences‎ (in Armenian), volume 5, pages 26–27
• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1979), “Haykakankʿ (Armeniaca)”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), volume IV, 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press, pages 625–626
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (2010), “դղեակ”, in Vahan Sargsyan, editor, Hayeren stugabanakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Asoghik, page 200b