hwʾstn'

Middle Persian

Etymology

From Proto-Iranian *xwaz- (“to want; to wish”), of uncertain origin.

Perhaps an ablaut variant of Proto-Iranian *kauz- (“to search, seek”), itself of unknown origin.

Alternatively, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *sweh₂d- (“sweet”).

Cognate with Northern Kurdish xwestin, Northern Luri هاسن (hāsen), Yagnobi хоҳак (xohak). Baluchi واهَگ (wāhag, “to want, wish”), and Old Armenian *խազ- (*xaz-), an Iranian borrowing.

Verb

hwʾstn' • (xwāstan)

1. to seek, to want, to desire
2. to attract, to acquire

Descendants

• Persian: خواستن (xâstan)