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Avestan

[uh-ves-tuh n]
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noun
  1. an ancient East Iranian language of the Indo-European family, the language of all the Avesta but the Gathas.Compare Gathic(def 1).
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adjective
  1. of or relating to the Avesta or its language.
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Origin of Avestan

First recorded in 1855–60; Avest(a) + -an
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for avestan

Historical Examples

  • The Avestan Morals are brought out by Mr. Johnson in their original and exceeding purity.

    The Bay State Monthly, Volume 3, No. 2

    Various

  • The language of the Avesta can be correctly describedonly as Avestan, for no other literature in the same language exists.

  • The reciprocal help of the deity and the king (19–21) is Avestan, and inconsistent with monotheism.

  • Among the Avestan Fragments, attention might finally be called to one which we must be glad has not been lost.

British Dictionary definitions for avestan

Avestan

Avestic (əˈvɛstɪk)

noun
  1. the oldest recorded language of the Iranian branch of the Indo-European family; the language of the AvestaFormerly called: Zend
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adjective
  1. of or relating to the Avesta or its language
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for avestan

Avestan

Eastern Iranian language that survived in sacred texts centuries after it went extinct, from Persian Avesta "sacred books of the Parsees," earlier Avistak, literally "books."

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper