هودج

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Arabic[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Uncertain origin, natively associated with ه د ج (h-d-j) with the senses of taking short steps, to waver when one walks, to walk like an elder person, to walk like one carrying a burden; a reference to a camel's strain.

Possibly under influence of phono-semantic matching of Middle Persian [script needed] (kwpk' /⁠kōfag⁠/, saddle, the prominent parts at the front and rear of a saddle), from Middle Persian [script needed] (kwp /⁠kōf⁠/, mountain, hill; hump); cognate to Modern and Classical Persian کوهه (kōha, hump; saddle; hillock) and Persian کوه (kôh, mountain).

Compare also Jewish Babylonian Aramaic אוּכָּפָא (ʾukkāp̄ā, packsaddle), Classical Syriac ܐܽܘܟܳܦܴܐ (ʾukkāp̄ā, packsaddle), Jewish Palestinian Aramaic אכפי (/⁠*ʾukkāp̄ē⁠/, yoke, type of load bearing device) which form passed into Arabic أُكَّاف (ʔukkāf, packsaddle) and is itself from Akkadian 𒌑𒂵𒁍 (u2-ka3-pu /⁠ukāpu⁠/, saddle-cloth, pack), to illustrate matching and influence of saddle terms in the region.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

هَوْدَج (hawdajm (plural هَوَادِج (hawādij))

  1. camel litter, howdah (a closed compartment put on the back of camel, usually used for carrying brides and important women)
  2. sedan chair, litter

Declension[edit]

Descendants[edit]

  • English: howdah
  • Bengali: হাওদা (haōda)