бесәй

From the onomatopoeia бес-бес (bes-bes, “the sound used to call a cat”). Compare Tatar песи (pesi, “cat”).

Any relation with Proto-Common Turkic *mušuq ~ *mišik, from earlier *pïšïk (“cat”) cannot be satisfactorily made. (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

• IPA^(key): [bɪ̞ˈsæj]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: бе‧сәй

бесәй • (besəy)

1. (zoology) cat

   Мәскәүҙә бесәйҙә коронавирус табылған.

   Məskəwźə besəyźə koronavirus tabılğan.

   In Moscow, coronavirus was found in a cat.