avestan
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Proper noun:
- An ancient Iranian language: Avestan is an ancient East Iranian language, historically used to compose the sacred texts of Zoroastrianism. It is closely related to Old Persian and Sanskrit.
- The script used to write this language: Avestan also refers to the distinctive alphabet developed to write down the Avesta, the Zoroastrian scriptures.
Adjective:
- Of or pertaining to the Avesta: Relating to the Avesta, the primary collection of religious texts in Zoroastrianism.
Examples of Usage
Proper noun (Language):
- Scholars study Avestan to understand early Zoroastrian liturgy.
- The Gathas, hymns attributed to Zoroaster, are composed in an older form of Avestan.
Proper noun (Script):
- The Avestan script contains over 50 characters.
- This manuscript is written in a beautiful Avestan script.
Adjective:
- The Avestan texts are central to Zoroastrian worship.
- He specializes in Avestan grammar.
Advanced Usage
- "Avestan corpus": Refers to the entire body of literature written in the Avestan language.
- The Avestan corpus provides insight into ancient Iranian culture and religion.
Variants and Related Words
Avesta (Proper noun): The name of the sacred text itself.
- The Avesta is written in the Avestan language.
Zend (Noun, historical/archaic): An older term sometimes used for the Avestan language or for commentaries on the Avesta.
- The term "Zend-Avesta" historically referred to the scriptures with commentary.
Synonyms
- Old Bactrian (Historical/obsolete synonym): An older, now largely abandoned, scholarly term for the language.
- Zend (Historical/archaic synonym, as noted above).
Related Terms (Not direct synonyms but closely associated)
- Zoroastrianism: The religion whose scriptures are in Avestan.
- Pahlavi: The Middle Persian language used for later Zoroastrian writings and commentaries on the Avesta.
- Old Persian: The language of the Achaemenid Empire, a different but related ancient Iranian language.
Adjective
- of or pertaining to the Avesta (sacred text of Zoroastrianism)
Noun
- the script in which the ancient Persian language of the Avesta is written
- an ancient Iranian language