կարծեմ

Considered a word of unknown origin.^[1][2] Pedersen's old connection with Ancient Greek γοργός (gorgós, “grim, fierce, terrible”), Old Armenian կարծր (karcr, “hard, rough”), with a sense development "to fear" → "to believe, think",^[3][4] has not been well-received.^[5][6]

Perhaps an Aramaic borrowing: compare Classical Syriac ܩܪܨܐ (qarṣā, “accusation, slander, malicious or defamatory gossip”),^[7] ܐܩܪܨ (ʾaqreṣ, “to accuse”),^[8] ܐܶܟܰܠ ܩܱܪ̈ܨܶܐ (ʾekal qarṣē, “to accuse, slander”), ܐܟܠ ܩܪܨܐ (ʾākel qarṣā, “accuser, slanderer”), Akkadian (karṣu, “slander, accusation”), (karṣī akālu, “to slander”),^[9] with a sense development “to accuse” → “*to be judgmental” → “to believe, think, judge, consider, suppose” or “to accuse” → “to suspect” → “to believe, think, judge, consider, suppose”.

կարծեմ • (karcem)

1. to believe, think, judge, consider, suppose

   կարծել յանձն իւր ― karcel yanjn iwr ― to believe or think oneself, to look upon oneself as, to think that one is

   կարծէ թէ ― karcē tʻē ― he believes that

   որպէս կարծեմ ― orpēs karcem ― it seems to me

   կարծի ― karci ― it seems, it appears

   կարծի թէ ― karci tʻē ― it is believed that, it is thought that

2. to suspect, fear
   • 5th century, Bible, Book of Tobit 8.18:

     Օրհնեա՛լ ես դու Տէր Աստուած զի ուրա՛խ արարեր զիս, և ո՛չ անց ընդ իս որպէս և կարծէին․ այլ ըստ բազում ողորմութեանդ քոյ արարե՛ր դու ընդ մեզ։

     Ōrhneál es du Tēr Astuac zi uráx ararer zis, ew óčʻ ancʻ ənd is orpēs ew karcēin; ayl əst bazum ołormutʻeand kʻoy ararér du ənd mez.

     • Translation by King James Bible

       Thou art to be praised, for thou hast made me joyful; and that is not come to me which I suspected; but thou hast dealt with us according to thy great mercy.

   • 5th century, Bible, Psalms 118.39:

     Հան յինէն զնախատինս զոր և կարծեցի, զի դատաստանք քո քաղցր են:

     Han yinēn znaxatins zor ew karcecʻi, zi datastankʻ kʻo kʻałcʻr en:

     • Translation by King James Bible

       Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments good․

In Tobit 8:18 and Psalms 118:39 translates Ancient Greek ὑποπτεύω (hupopteúō).

• Armenian: կարծել (karcel)