Abkhaz

noun

Ab·​khaz ab-ˈkäs How to pronounce Abkhaz (audio)
variants or Abkhazian
ab-ˈkā-zh(ē-)ən How to pronounce Abkhaz (audio)
-ˈkä-zē-ən
or less commonly Abkhas
ab-ˈkäs
or Abkhasian
ab-ˈkā-zh(ē-)ən,
-ˈkä-zē-ən
plural Abkhaz or Abkhazes or Abkhazians also Abkhas or Abkhasians
1
a
: a people living on the eastern shore of the Black Sea
b
: a member of this people
2
: the North Caucasian language of the Abkhaz people

Word History

Etymology

Abkhaz borrowed from Russian abkhaz, abkhazets, borrowed from Georgian abkhaz or Arabic & Persian & Ottoman Turkish abkhāz, all borrowed from an uncertain Caucasian source, whence also Late Greek Abaskoí, Abasgoí, Late Latin Abasgī; Abkhazian from Abkhazia, the Abkhaz homeland (ultimately borrowed from Late Greek Abasgía) + -an entry 1

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of Abkhaz was in 1686

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Dictionary Entries Near Abkhaz

Cite this Entry

“Abkhaz.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Abkhaz. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

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