մալ

Armenian

Etymology

From Middle Armenian մալ (mal).

Pronunciation

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

• Audio (Eastern Armenian)

  (file)

Noun

մալ • (mal)

1. (dialectal) property, possession
2. (dialectal) cattle, livestock

Declension

Middle Armenian

Etymology 1

From Old Armenian մալ (mal). Doublet of մալ (mal, “tax levied on cattle”).

Noun

մալ • (mal), genitive singular մալի (mali)

1. property, possession
2. cattle, livestock

Descendants

• Armenian: մալ (mal)

Etymology 2

From Tatar мал (mal, “kind of tax levied on cattle”), from Arabic مَال (māl). Georgian მალი (mali, “money tax”) is of the same origin. Doublet of մալ (mal, “property; cattle”).

Noun

մալ • (mal), genitive singular մալի (mali)

1. a kind of tax levied on cattle

References

• Ġazaryan, Ṙ. S., Avetisyan, H. M. (2009) “մալ”, in Miǰin hayereni baṙaran [Dictionary of Middle Armenian] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press
• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1971–1979) “մալ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press

Old Armenian

Etymology

From Arabic مَال (māl, “property”).

Noun

մալ • (mal)

1. cattle

Usage notes

The meaning ‘ram’ or ‘sheep’ cited in some works is conditioned by the wrong etymological association with Ancient Greek μῆλον (mêlon, “sheep”). The dialectal evidence clearly points to ‘cattle’.

Descendants

• Middle Armenian: մալ (mal)
  • Armenian: մալ (mal)

References

• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1971–1979) “մալ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press
• Martirosyan, Hrach (2010) Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden and Boston: Brill, page 443