# աքիս
## Armenian
### Etymology

Inherited from Old Armenian աքիս (akʻis).

### Pronunciation

* (Eastern Armenian) IPA: /ɑˈkʰis/, [ɑkʰís]
* (Western Armenian) IPA: /ɑˈkis/, [ɑkʰís]
* Audio (Eastern Armenian):(file)
* Hyphenation: ա‧քիս

### Noun

աքիս • (akʻis)
* weasel, least weasel (Mustela nivalis)
    Synonyms: ծմուկ (cmuk), մկնահարսնուկ (mknaharsnuk), կէլինճիկ (kēlinčik), մըշըղուլ (məšəġul) (Karabakh)

#### Alternative forms

* աք$^յ$իս (akʻ$^y$is) — Moks
* աքիստ (akʻist) — Akhaltsikhe

#### Derived terms

* ազնվաքիս (aznvakʻis)
* ժանտաքիս (žantakʻis)
* խայտաքիս (xaytakʻis)
* կզաքիս (kzakʻis)
* ջրաքիս (ǰrakʻis)

#### Descendants

* → Turkish: akiz

### References

* ↑ Ġazaryan, Ṙuben (1998) “աքիս”, in Kendanineri anunneri hayeren-ṙuseren-latineren kargabanakan baṙaran. Girkʻ A. Katʻnasunner [An Armenian–Russian–Latin Taxonomic Dictionary of Animal Names. Book I. Mammals] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Pyunik, § 301, page 32

## Old Armenian
### Etymology

The origin is uncertain. Compare Akkadian 𒅗𒆠𒋗 (/⁠kakkišu⁠/, “a small animal with a reputation for thievery, likely a type of rodent”), 𒀾𒋾𒆠𒋢 (/⁠aštakissu⁠/, “a rodent”), Classical Syriac ܟܟܘܫܬܐ (kāḵūštā, “ferret, weasel, polecat”), Jewish Babylonian Aramaic כרכושתא (karkuštā, “weasel”), Assyrian Neo-Aramaic [script needed] (kakša, “weasel”) (Salmas and Van), [script needed] (kakəšta, “weasel”) (Ṭyare).

### Noun

աքիս • (akʻis)
* weasel, least weasel (Mustela nivalis)
** 5th century, with changes and additions in later centuries, Baroyaxōs [Physiologus] Earliest recension (TR).24.2–3:Բարոյախաւսն ասէ զաքսոյ [translating γαλῆ (galê)], թէ այնպիսի ինչ բարք են․ զսերմ արուին ի բերանն առնու եւ յղանայ, եւ ընդ ականջսն ծնանի։Baroyaxawsn asē zakʻsoy [translating γαλῆ (galê)], tʻē aynpisi inčʻ barkʻ en; zserm aruin i berann aṙnu ew yłanay, ew ənd akanǰsn cnani.Translation by Gohar MuradyanPhsyiologus says about the weasel that it has the following habit: it receives the sperm of the male through the mouth and conceives, and they give birth through the ears.

#### Derived terms

* մկնաքիս (mknakʻis)

#### Descendants

* Middle Armenian: աքիս (akʻis), ագիս (agis), աքիստ (akʻist)
** Armenian: աքիս (akʻis), աք$^յ$իս (akʻ$^y$is) — Moks, աքիստ (akʻist) — Akhaltsikhe
*** → Turkish: akiz

### References

* ↑ Ġazarean, Ṙubēn (2000) “աքիս”, in G. B. Tʻosunean, editor, Grabari baṙaran [Dictionary of Old Armenian] (in Armenian), volume I, Yerevan: University Press, page 235ab
* ↑ Muradyan, Gohar (2005) Physiologus: The Greek and Armenian Versions with a Study of Translation Technique (Hebrew University Armenian Studies; 6)‎, Leuven – Paris – Dudley: Peeters, pages 128, 157

### Further reading

* Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1971) “աքիս”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume I, Yerevan: University Press, page 370a
* Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “աքիս”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
* J̌ahukyan, Geworg (2010) “աքիս”, in Vahan Sargsyan, editor, Hayeren stugabanakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Asoghik, pages 106–107
* Martirosyan, Hrach (2010) “akʿis”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden and Boston: Brill, pages 159–162
* Mkrtčjan, N. A. (2005) Семитские языки и армянский [Semitic Languages and Armenian]‎ (in Russian), Yerevan: Drazark, →ISBN, page 260
* Mutzafi, Hezy (2019) “Further Akkadian Substrate Words and Meanings Surfacing in Neo-Aramaic”, in Orientalia‎, volume 88, number 2, →DOI, page 216 fn. 20
* Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “աքիս”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
* Starostin, Sergei, Dybo, Anna, Mudrak, Oleg (2003) “*k`i̯ū́ĺa”, in Etymological dictionary of the Altaic languages (Handbuch der Orientalistik; VIII.8), Leiden, New York, Köln: E.J. Brill