զոհ

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Old Armenian զոհ (zoh)

Pronunciation

• (Eastern Armenian, standard) IPA^(key): [zɔh]

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

զոհ • (zoh)

1. (religion) sacrifice, victim; it's meat

   զոհ մատուցել ― zoh matucʿel ― to offer a sacrifice

2. (figuratively) sacrifice

   մեծ զոհեր ― mec zoher ― great sacrifice(s)

3. (figuratively) victim

   զոհ դառնալ/գնալ ― zoh daṙnal/gnal ― to fall victim (to)

Etymology

From earlier *զորհ (*zorh) (compare the compound զորհասէր (zorhasēr)), borrowed from Middle Iranian *zōhr (“victim”). Compare Middle Persian zwhl (zōhr, “libation, offering”), Manichaean Middle Persian zwhr (zōhr, “libation; oblation”), Avestan 𐬰𐬀𐬊𐬚𐬭𐬀‎ (zaoθra, “libation”), Sanskrit होत्र (hotrá, “burnt-offering, sacrifice”), all ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰew- (“to pour, libate”). The Iranian was also borrowed into Classical Syriac as ܙܘܬܪܐ‎ (zauθrā, “bread offered to spirits”) and Georgian ზორვა (zorva, “sacrifice”).

Noun

զոհ • (zoh)

1. victim, sacrifice, immolation, host

   զոհ ողջակէզ ― zoh ołǰakēz ― holocaust

   զոհ մատուցանել ― zoh matucʿanel ― to make a sacrifice

   զոհ առնել (զոք) ― zoh aṙnel (zokʿ) ― to kill

References

• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1971–1979), “զոհ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press
• Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “զոհ”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Awetikʿean, G.; Siwrmēlean, X.; Awgerean, M. (1836–1837), “զոհ”, in Nor baṙgirkʿ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy