Definition

1. Noun:
   • An ancient Iranian language: "Pehlevi" refers to the Middle Persian language used from approximately the 3rd to the 10th centuries CE. It was the language of the Sasanian Empire and is the primary language of Zoroastrian religious and secular literature from that period. The script used for writing Pehlevi is derived from Aramaic.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Scholars study Pehlevi to understand pre-Islamic Persian culture and religion.
  • The Zoroastrian sacred texts were translated into Pehlevi from an older Avestan language.
  • Many administrative documents from the Sasanian era were written in Pehlevi.

Advanced Usage

• "Pehlevi script": Refers specifically to the writing system used for the Pehlevi language, which is complex due to its historical Aramaic origins and use of ideograms.
  • Deciphering the Pehlevi script requires specialized knowledge of its logograms.

Variants and Related Words

• Pahlavi: A common alternate spelling for "Pehlevi." The terms are often used interchangeably in academic contexts.
  • The Pahlavi dynasty of the 20th century took its name from this ancient language.
• Middle Persian: The linguistic classification for Pehlevi, placing it between Old Persian and Modern Persian (Farsi).

Synonyms

• Middle Persian: (Linguistic synonym) The modern academic term for the language stage represented by Pehlevi.
• Pahlavi: (Orthographic variant) An alternative spelling with the same meaning.

Notes on Meaning

• Historical vs. Modern Context: It is critical to distinguish the ancient Pehlevi language from the modern nation of Iran or its contemporary language (Farsi). The word solely refers to the historical linguistic and literary tradition.
• Religious Significance: The term is almost exclusively used in academic, historical, or religious studies contexts related to Zoroastrianism and the Sasanian Empire.

Noun

1. the Iranian language of the Zoroastrian literature of the 3rd to 10th centuries