հաստ

Armenian

Alternative forms

• խաստ (xast) — Moks, Maragheh, Vozm, New Julfa, Salmas, Van

Etymology

From Old Armenian հաստ (hast).

Pronunciation

• (Eastern Armenian, standard) IPA^(key):
• (Western Armenian, standard) IPA^(key):

Adjective

հաստ • (hast) (superlative ամենահաստ)

1. thick, dense, broad

   Antonym: բարակ (barak)

   հաստ գիրք ― hast girkʻ ― thick book

   հաստ մածուն ― hast macun ― (dialectal) thick, consistent matzoon

Declension

References

Old Armenian

Etymology

Connected with Proto-Germanic *fastuz (“fixed, firm, secure”), possibly also Sanskrit पस्त्य n (pastyá, “stall, stable ← stable habitation”), पस्त्या f (pastyā́, “homestead, dwelling, household”). All usually derived from Proto-Indo-European *pastV- (“solid, stable”). Kroonen separates the Sanskrit and reconstructs the Proto-Indo-European root for Armenian and Germanic as *pHst-. See *fastuz for more on this.

However, Martirosyan writes: "In view of the limited distribution (see also Salmons apud Mallory/Adams 1997: 204b) and the vowel *-a-, we are hardly dealing with a Proto-Indo-European word. One may posit a European substrate word shared by Armenian, Germanic, possibly also Indo-Aryan. In view of the semantics of the Germanic and Indic cognates, as well as that of Armenian հաստատեմ (hastatem, “to affirm, assert, reinforce; to build, found, set up, settle, establish a dwelling place”), one may posit a substratum technical term with an original meaning ‘foundation, settlement, fortified dwelling place, fortress’".

Compare also Northern Kurdish xest, Central Kurdish خەست (xest), dialectal ھەس (hes), Southern Kurdish خەس (xes), Laki خەس (xes), ھەس (hes), Gurani ھەس (has), Talysh خس (xas, “thick, viscous (of liquid)”) and Gilaki خٚستٚه (xəstə, “dense”).

Adjective

հաստ • (hast) indeclinable

1. firm, steady, standing still, tough
2. thick, dense, broad

Noun

հաստ • (hast)

1. firmness, the standing still, strength

   կալ ի հաստի ― kal i hasti ― to stand firm

   ի հաստոջ պահել ― i hastoǰ pahel ― to hold fast

   ի հաստոջ ունել ― i hastoǰ unel ― to preserve, to keep

Declension

Derived terms

Related terms

• աստուած (astuac) (possibly)

Descendants

• Armenian: հաստ (hast)

References

Further reading

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