ստուար

Etymology

Perhaps inherited from Proto-Indo-European *stuwar- (Pokorny) or *stewə-ro- (J̌ahukyan), in any case a derivative of *steh₂- (“to stand”), with such cognates as Sanskrit स्थावर (sthāvara, “standing still, not moving, fixed, stationary, stable, immovable”), Avestan 𐬯𐬙𐬀𐬡𐬭𐬀‎ (staβra, “strong”), Middle Persian [script needed] (stawar, “thick, dense”), Persian استوار‎ (ostovâr, “firm, strong, solid”), Ancient Greek σταυρός (staurós), Latin instauro, Old Norse stórr, etc.

According to Ačaṙyan, the Armenian word is not inherited from Proto-Indo-European but borrowed from Middle Persian [script needed] (stawar, “thick, dense”).

According to Godel, derived from earlier *stiwar, from Proto-Indo-European *stipar(o)-, and cognate with Lithuanian stiprùs (“strong”).

Adjective

ստուար • (stuar)

1. thick, dense
2. large, great, voluminous

   ստուար գունդ, բանակ ― stuar gund, banak ― numerous, powerful army

3. heavy

   ստուար ծանրութիւն ― stuar canrutʿiwn ― great weight

4. (grammar, of a sound) hoarse, harsh

References

• Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “ստուար”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Awetikʿean, G.; Siwrmēlean, X.; Awgerean, M. (1836–1837), “ստուար”, in Nor baṙgirkʿ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1971–1979), “ստուար”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press
• Godel, Robert (1975) An introduction to the study of classical Armenian, Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, page 76
• Pokorny, Julius (1959) Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume III, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 1009
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1987) Hayocʿ lezvi patmutʿyun; naxagrayin žamanakašrǰan [History of the Armenian language: The Pre-Literary Period] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Academy Press, page 151