𐫗𐫍𐫗𐫃

Middle Persian

Etymology

From Proto-Iranian *ni-θanga-, from the preverb *ni- (“down”) and the verb *θanǰáyati (“to pull, draw”). Nyberg explains the literal meaning as ‘the dragger, the crawler’. Perhaps cognate with Manichaean Parthian 𐫗𐫟𐫗𐫐 (nxnk), but the reading and meaning of the latter are uncertain.

Has also been compared to Sanskrit निहाका (nihākā, “a storm, whirlwind?; an iguana, the Gangetic alligator?”), but the meaning and origin of the latter are uncertain.

Noun

𐫗𐫍𐫗𐫃 • (nihang)

crocodile or hippopotamus

Descendants

Taking Manichaean Middle Persian as representative for all Middle Iranian:

Persian: نهنگ (nehang, nahang, “crocodile; whale”)
- → Azerbaijani: nəhəng
- → Kurdish:
  - Northern Kurdish: neheng (“whale”)
- → Ottoman Turkish: نهنگ (neheng)
  - Turkish: neheng
→ Aramaic
Classical Syriac: ܢܗܢܓ (nahang)
→ Old Armenian: նհանգ (nhang)
- → Georgian: ნიანგი (niangi)

References

Nyberg, H. S. (1974) A Manual of Pahlavi, Part II: Glossary, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, page 138b
Durkin-Meisterernst, Desmond (2004) A Dictionary of Manichaean Middle Persian and Parthian (Corpus Fontium Manichaeorum; 3.1), Turnhout: Brepols, page 242a
Cheung, Johnny (2007) Etymological Dictionary of the Iranian Verb (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 2), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 391–392
Bailey, H. W. (1979) Dictionary of Khotan Saka, Cambridge, London, New York, Melbourne: Cambridge University press, page 190b
Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1977) “նհանգ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume III, Yerevan: University Press, page 458b
Hübschmann, Heinrich (1897) Armenische Grammatik. 1. Theil: Armenische Etymologie (in German), Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, page 205
Cabolov, R. L. (2010) Etimologičeskij slovarʹ kurdskovo jazyka [Etymological Dictionary of the Kurdish Language] (in Russian), volume II, Moscow: Russian Academy Press Vostochnaya Literatura, page 16