կատար

From Old Armenian կատար (katar).

• (Eastern Armenian) IPA^(key): /kɑˈtɑɾ/,
• (Western Armenian) IPA^(key): /ɡɑˈdɑɾ/,

կատար • (katar)

1. top, summit, peak
2. comb, crest (of birds)
3. (figuratively) human head

Usually considered a word of unknown origin.^[1][2][3]

Probably a Semitic borrowing: compare Aramaic כּיתְרָא (kiṯrā, “crown, fancy headdress”),^[4] Imperial Aramaic 𐡒𐡕𐡓 (qṭr, “crown”),^[5][6] Aramaic כּוֹתֶרֶח / כּוֹתַרְתָּא / כְּתַרְתָּא (kəṯartā, kōṯartā, kōṯrā, “knob, capital”),^[7] Aramaic קִיטְרָא (qiṭrā) / Classical Syriac ܩܷܛܪܐ (qeṭrā, “knot, joint, amulet, diadem, tiara”), Aramaic קְטַר (qṭar) / Classical Syriac ܩܛܰܪ (qṭar, “to tie, to bind”),^[8] Ge'ez ከተረ (kätärä, “to make an enclosure, to surround; to detain”) (also Tigrinya, Tigre, Amharic, Harari, Sebat Bet Gurage),^[9] Hebrew כֶּתֶר (kéter, “crown”), כָּתַר (kātar, “to surround, to encircle”),^[10] Arabic كَتْر (katr, “camel's hump”),^[11][12] Ancient Greek κίταρις (kítaris), κίδαρις (kídaris, “name of a turban-like headgear”) (Oriental loanword).^[13] The connection with Hebrew was suggested already by Margoliouth,^[14] but rejected by Ačaṙean and J̌ahukyan, who did not know about the other Semitic forms.

կատար • (katar)

1. top, summit, peak

   ի կատարն եհաս շնորհաց ― i katarn ehas šnorhacʻ ― he arrived at the height of favour

2. end, conclusion, term, accomplishment

   ի կատար ածել ― i katar acel ― to complete, realize, fulfill, carry out

• Armenian: կատար (katar)
  • → Udi: кӏатӏар (ḳaṭar)
  • → Georgian: კატარი (ḳaṭari)
  • → Northern Kurdish: katar
  • → Turkish: gadar, gadırank, gagart, kagardak, kakart
  • → Laz: კოტულა (ǩoťula), კუტალა (ǩuťala) (possibly)
• → Armenian: ի կատար ածել (i katar acel)

• Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “կատար”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “կատար”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy