دشنام

Persian

Etymology

From Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (dwšnʾm /⁠dušnām⁠/), from Proto-Iranian *dušHnā́ma (“insult”), from Proto-Indo-European *dus- (“bad”) + *h₁nómn̥ (“name”). Within Persian, compare (došman, “enemy”), (nâm, “name”).

Pronunciation

(Classical Persian) IPA^(key): /duʃ.ˈnaːm/

(Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [d̪ʊʃ.nɑːm]
- (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [d̪ʊʃ.nɑːm]
- (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [d̪uʃ.nɔːm]

(Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [d̪oʃ.nɒːm]

(Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [d̪uʃ.nɔm]

Readings
Classical reading^?	dušnām
Dari reading^?	dušnām
Iranian reading^?	došnâm
Tajik reading^?	dušnom

Noun

دشنام • (došnâm) (plural دشنام‌ها)

insult; verbal abuse
Synonyms: توهین (towhin), فحش (fohš)
- late 14th century, Xāja Shams-ud-Dīn Moḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī, “اگر آن ترک شیرازی به دست آرد دل ما را (Shirazi Turk)”, in دیوان حافظ [Divān of Ḥāfeẓ]:
  اگر دشنام فرمایی و گر نفرین دعا گویم
  جواب تلخ می‌زیبد لب لعل شکرخا را
  agar došnâm farmâyi va gar nefrin do'â guyam
  javâb-e talx mi-zibad lab-e la'l-e šekarxâ râ
  Even if you speak harshly, and even if you curse me, I am grateful;
  A bitter answer beautifies a ruby-red sugar-chewing lip.

Derived terms

دشنام دادن (došnâm dâdan)
دشنام گفتن (došnâm goftan)
دشنام‌گویی (došnâm-guyi)