ան-

See also: -ան and -ան-

Armenian

Etymology

From Middle Armenian ան- (an-), from Old Armenian ան- (an-).

Pronunciation

• (Eastern Armenian, standard) IPA^(key): [ɑn]

Prefix

ան- • (an-)

1. privative prefix, un-, -less

   անարցունք ― anarcʿunkʿ ― tearless

   անօժիտ ― anōžit ― without a dowry, portionless

2. forming the opposites of adjectives, un-, dis-, a-

   անհամաչափ ― anhamačʿapʿ ― asymmetric

   անհամաձայն ― anhamajayn ― discordant

Usage notes

This is the most common negative prefix in Armenian.

Derived terms

► Armenian words prefixed with ան-

Synonyms

• ապ- (ap-)

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Middle Armenian

Etymology

From Old Armenian ան- (an-).

Prefix

ան- • (an-)

1. without; -less

Derived terms

► Middle Armenian words prefixed with ան-

Descendants

• Armenian: ան- (an-)

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Old Armenian

Etymology 1

From Proto-Indo-European *n̥-.

Prefix

ան- • (an-)

1. a privative prefix, without, -less, un-, dis-

   տուն ― tun ― home

   անտուն ― antun ― homeless

   յոյս ― yoys ― hope

   անյոյս ― anyoys ― hopeless

   ազատ ― azat ― free

   անազատ ― anazat ― unfree

Synonyms

• տ- (t-), չ- (čʿ-), ապ- (ap-)

Derived terms

► Old Armenian words prefixed with ան-

Descendants

• Middle Armenian: ան- (an-)
  • Armenian: ան- (an-)

References

• Olsen, Birgit Anette (2017), “Armenian”, in Mate Kapović, editor, The Indo-European Languages (Routledge Language Family Series), 2nd edition, London, New York: Routledge, page 426

Etymology 2

From Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- (“on, onto”).

Prefix

ան- • (an-)

1. on, at, upon

Usage notes

Unproductive already in Old Armenian.

Derived terms

► Old Armenian words prefixed with ան- (on)

• անդորր (andorr) (possibly)
• ամբառնամ (ambaṙnam), համբերեմ (hamberem), հանուր (hanur) (possibly, contaminated with (հ)ամ- ((h)am-), (հ)ան- ((h)an-))

References

• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1987) Hayocʿ lezvi patmutʿyun; naxagrayin žamanakašrǰan [History of the Armenian language: The Pre-Literary Period] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Academy Press, page 245