𐎺𐏀𐎼𐎣

Old Persian

FWOTD – 6 September 2020

Etymology

    Originally meaning "endowed with generative power", from vazra-, borrowed from Old Median *vazr̥kah, Proto-Iranian *wájrakah, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *wáȷ́ras (strong), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- (to be strong, lively, awake).

    Cognate with Sanskrit वाज (vā́ja, strength, vigor, energy), वज्र (vájra, Indra's thunderbolt, a symbol of generative force), Latin vigeō (to thrive), vegeō (to quicken, arouse) and Old English wacan, wacian (English wake).

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /waˈzr̩ka/

    Adjective

    𐎺𐏀𐎼𐎣 (v-z-r-k /vazr̥ka/)

    1. great
      𐎲𐎥 𐏐 𐎺𐏀𐎼𐎣 𐏐 𐎠𐎢𐎼𐎶𐏀𐎭𐎠baga vazr̥ka AuramazdāGreat is the god Ahura Mazda
      • c. 522–486 BCE, Behistun Inscription [DB], column 1, line 1:
        𐎠𐎭𐎶 𐏐 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 𐏐 𐎧𐏁𐎠𐎹𐎰𐎡𐎹 𐏐 𐎺𐏀𐎼𐎣 𐏐 𐎧𐏁𐎠𐎹𐎰𐎡𐎹 𐏐 𐎧𐏁𐎠𐎹𐎰𐎡𐎹𐎠𐎴𐎠𐎶
        adam Dārayavauš xšāyaθiya vazr̥ka xšāyaθiya xšāyaθiyānām
        I am Darius, the great king, king of kings
    2. big

    Descendants

    • Middle Persian: 𐭥𐭰𐭥𐭫𐭢 (wuzurg)

    References