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

Whilst the Soma-sacrifice has been thus developed by the Brāhmaṇas in an extraordinary degree, its essential identity with the Avestan Haoma-cult shows that its origin goes back at all events to the Indo-Iranian period.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various

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

Sanson states that the Gavres have kept up the old Persian language and that it is entirely different from modern Persian,57 a distinct recognition of the existence of the Avestan language.

From The Influence of India and Persia on the Poetry of Germany by Remy, Arthur F. J.

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