Definition

Proper noun 1. A member of the Abkhaz people: A person belonging to the indigenous ethnic group native to Abkhazia, a region in the South Caucasus on the eastern coast of the Black Sea. 2. The Abkhaz language: A Northwest Caucasian language spoken primarily by the Abkhaz people in Abkhazia and by diaspora communities.

Usage Examples

• As a noun (referring to a person):
  • The Abkhasian was known for his skill in horsemanship.
  • She is an Abkhasian who now lives in Turkey.
• As a noun (referring to the language):
  • He is studying Abkhasian to communicate with his grandparents.
  • The grammar of Abkhasian is known for its complexity.

Advanced Usage

• The terms Abkhasian and Abkhazian are often used interchangeably in English to refer to the people and the language. Abkhaz is also a common and equivalent term.
• In linguistic and ethnological contexts, Abkhasian specifies the language as part of the Northwest Caucasian (or Abkhaz-Adyghe) language family, distinct from the unrelated Kartvelian languages (like Georgian) spoken in the same region.

Variants and Related Words

• Abkhazian (adj., n.): An alternative spelling and form with identical meaning.
• Abkhaz (adj., n.): The most common short form for both the people and the language.
• Abkhazia (n.): The name of the region historically inhabited by the Abkhaz people.

Synonyms

• For a person: Abkhaz, Abkhazian.
• For the language: Abkhaz, Abkhazian.

Notes on Meaning

• The primary distinction in usage is between the ethnic/national identity (a person who is Abkhasian) and the linguistic identity (the Abkhasian language). Context usually makes the intended meaning clear.
• It functions almost exclusively as a proper noun and is typically capitalized.

Noun

1. a Circassian language spoken by the Abkhaz
2. a member of the Circassian people who live to the east of the Black Sea