وسوسه

Ottoman Turkish

Etymology

From Arabic وَسْوَسَة (waswasa, “suggestion of the devil, temptation”), which is a verbal noun of Arabic وَسْوَسَ (waswasa, “to whisper”).

Noun

وسوسه • (vesvese, fesfese)

1. (dated) an evil suggestion, temptation

   Synonym: اغوا (iğva)

2. delusion, causeless fear, anxiety

   Synonyms: قورندی (kuruntu), قایغو (kaygı)

Usage notes

The pronunciation fesfese is considered vulgar by Redhouse. Nişanyan notes the second meaning "delusion" overtook the original one since the 19th c.

Descendants

• Turkish: vesvese (“delusion”)
• → Armenian: ֆէսֆէսէ (fēsfēsē), վասվասա (vasvasa)

References

• Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–) “vesvese”, in Nişanyan Sözlük
• Redhouse, James W. (1890) “وسوسه”, in A Turkish and English Lexicon‎^[1], Constantinople: A. H. Boyajian, page 2137