𐎠𐎴𐏃𐎡𐎫

Old Persian

Etymology

Literally "who is not defiled", composed of *a(n)- (privative particle) + *āhitā- (“defiled”). Cognate with Avestan 𐬀𐬥𐬁𐬵𐬌𐬙𐬀 (anāhita, “pure, immaculate”, adj), an epithet of 𐬀𐬭𐬆𐬛𐬎𐬎𐬍 (arəduuī).

Proper noun

𐎠𐎴𐏃𐎡𐎫 (Anāhitā) f

1. (Iranian mythology, Religion, Zoroastrianism) Anahita

Descendants

(Taking Old Persian as representative for all Old Iranian:)

• Middle Persian: ʾnʾhyt' (Anāhīd)
  • Persian: اناهید (anâhid), ناهید (nâhid)
    • Arabic: أَنَاهِيذ (ʔanāhīḏ)
    • Classical Syriac: ܐܢܗܝܕ (ʾĂnāhêḏ)
• → Akkadian:

  Late Babylonian: 𒀀𒈾𒄴𒄿𒌅𒀪 (a-na-aḫ-i-tu-ʾ /⁠Anaḫituʾ⁠/), 𒀀𒈾𒀪𒋾 (a-na-ʾ-ti /⁠Anaʾti⁠/)

• → Ancient Greek: Ἀναῗτις (Anaï̂tis)
  • → Latin: Anaītis
  • → Russian: Анаити́да (Anaitída)
• → Elamite:

  Achaemenid Elamite: 𒀭𒈾𒄭𒌓𒆪 (an-na-hi-ud-da /⁠Anahiuda⁠/)

• → Old Armenian: Անահիտ (Anahit)

References

• Ačaṙyan, Hračʻya (1942) “Անահիտ”, in Hayocʻ anjnanunneri baṙaran [Dictionary of Personal Names of Armenians] (Erewani petakan hamalsaran. Gitakan ašxatutʻyunner; 21) (in Armenian), volume I, Yerevan: University Press, page 145f
• Hübschmann, Heinrich (1897) Armenische Grammatik. 1. Theil: Armenische Etymologie (in German), Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, page 18