մեղեխ

Learned borrowing from Old Armenian մեղեխ (mełex).

• (Eastern Armenian) IPA^(key): /meˈʁeχ/,
• (Western Armenian) IPA^(key): /meˈʁeχ/,
• Hyphenation: մե‧ղեխ

մեղեխ • (meġex)

1. (archaic, literary) handle of an axe, adze or a similar tool
2. (archaic, literary) mace (weapon)

   Synonym: լախտ (laxt)

• Aġayan, Ēduard (1976) “մեղեխ”, in Ardi hayereni bacʻatrakan baṙaran [Explanatory Dictionary of Contemporary Armenian] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Hayastan
• Barseġyan, Hovhannes (1973) “մեղեխ”, in Hayeren uġġagrakan-uġġaxosakan, terminabanakan baṙaran [Armenian Orthographic–Orthoepic Terminological Dictionary] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Luys
• Sukʻiasyan, A. M. (1967) “մեղեխ”, in Aġayan Ē. B., Sewak G. G., editors, Hayocʻ lezvi homanišneri baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Synonyms] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Academy Press

The origin is uncertain.^[1][2] Martirosyan proposes derivation from Proto-Armenian *meɫ(i) (“ash-tree”) which he relates to Ancient Greek μελία (melía, “manna ash, Fraxinus ornus; ashen spear”); both may be regarded as a Mediterranean substrate word or a shared innovation based on Proto-Indo-European *mélid (“honey”), because there is a connection in mythology between honey and ash-trees.^[3] J̌ahukyan with reservation derives մեղեխ (mełex) from Proto-Indo-European *melh₂- (“to grind, crush”) (compare Russian мо́лот (mólot, “hammer”)) and Urartian 𒄭 (-ḫe, -ḫi- /⁠-ḫə⁠/, “suffix denoting appurtenance, belonging, pertaining, or of a thing”), hence a thing from an ash-tree or a thing of grinding or crushing; a club or cudgel.^[4]

Compare also Northern Kurdish melexan (“scythe, pruning hook”),^[5] Central Kurdish مەڵەغان (melleẍan, “scythe”)^[6] and مەڵغە (mellẍe, “lever”).^[7][8]

մեղեխ • (mełex)

1. handle of an axe

   մեղեխ արկանել ― mełex arkanel ― to put a handle to, to set in a handle; to haft

   հանել զմեղեխ ― hanel zmełex ― to take off the handle, to take out of the handle; to unhaft

2. (post-Classical) mace (weapon)

• → Armenian: մեղեխ (meġex)

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