հիւսեմ

Alternative forms

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. Martirosyan suggests derivation from Proto-Indo-European *sewk- (“to bend, turn”) with Lithuanian sùkti (“to twirl”) and Old East Slavic съкати (sŭkati, “to twist, to roll”), Russian скать (skatʹ, “to twist, to roll”) as cognates. Alternatively, from Proto-Indo-European *pewḱ- and cognate with Avestan 𐬞𐬎𐬯𐬁‎ (pusā, “diadem”), Ancient Greek πυκνός (puknós, “dense, solid”). See also հիւսն (hiwsn), հիւս (hiws) and հիւսիս (hiwsis).

Verb

հիւսեմ • (hiwsem)

1. (transitive) to weave; to plait; to braid; to twist, to enlace, to entwine, to intertwine; to knit
2. (transitive, figuratively) to form, to devise

   հիւսել զնենգութիւն ― hiwsel znengutʿiwn ― to hatch wickedness, to frame or get up a plot, to machinate, to devise

3. (transitive, figuratively) to compose, to write

References

• Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “հիւսեմ”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Awetikʿean, G.; Siwrmēlean, X.; Awgerean, M. (1836–1837), “հիւսեմ”, in Nor baṙgirkʿ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1971–1979), “հիւս”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press
• Martirosyan, Hrach (2010) Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 410