երէց

Alternative forms

• էրէց (ērēcʿ)
• իրից (iricʿ)

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *pre(y)sgʷu-; cognate with Ancient Greek πρέσβυς (présbus, “old”) and Latin priscus (“ancient”), pristinus (“primitive, pristine”). The original meaning of the Armenian is “elder”. The sense of “presbyter, priest” was formed in the Christian period based on Ancient Greek πρεσβύτερος (presbúteros) or Classical Syriac ܩܫܝܫܐ‎ (qaššīšā, “elder; priest”).

Adjective

երէց • (erēcʿ)

1. elder, senior

   երէց գահ ― erēcʿ gah ― the first or highest place

Noun

երէց • (erēcʿ)

1. presbyter

   երիցանց երէց ― ericʿancʿ erēcʿ ― pontiff

References

• Awetikʿean, G.; Siwrmēlean, X.; Awgerean, M. (1836–1837), “երէց”, in Nor baṙgirkʿ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1971–1979), “երէց”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press
• Matasović, Ranko (2009) A Grammatical Sketch of Classical Armenian‎ (pdf), Zagreb, page 14
• Martirosyan, Hrach (2010) Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 262
• Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “երէց”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy