Avestan

American  

[uh-ves-tuhn] / əˈvɛs tən /

noun

1. an ancient East Iranian language of the Indo-European family, the language of all the Avesta but the Gathas.

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adjective

1. of or relating to the Avesta or its language.

Avestan British  

/ əˈvɛstɪk, əˈvɛstən /

noun

1. Formerly called: Zend.  the oldest recorded language of the Iranian branch of the Indo-European family; the language of the Avesta

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adjective

1. of or relating to the Avesta or its language

Etymology

Origin of Avestan

First recorded in 1855–60; Avest(a) + -an

Example Sentences

Manx Irish Breton Nadsat Simlish Avestan Vepsian Quechua Romansh Linguists have reported that young speakers of the endangered Aka language have been using it to create hip-hop.

From BBC • May 30, 2012

The book entitled "Revelations of Ardai Viraf" exists in Pehlevi probably of the fourth century, according to Troyer,6 and is believed to have been originally written in the Avestan tongue, though this is extremely doubtful.

From The Destiny of the Soul A Critical History of the Doctrine of a Future Life by Alger, William Rounseville

An Avestan fragment 20 and the Viraf Nameh give the same account, only with more picturesque fulness.

From The Destiny of the Soul A Critical History of the Doctrine of a Future Life by Alger, William Rounseville

The collection, such as it was, was in the Avestan dialect, which had grown partially obsolete and unintelligible.

From The Destiny of the Soul A Critical History of the Doctrine of a Future Life by Alger, William Rounseville

The Hindu figure is often compared to the Avestan first man, Yima; but Yima, so far as appears, was never divinized, and is not religiously of great importance.

From Introduction to the History of Religions Handbooks on the History of Religions, Volume IV by Jastrow, Morris