ծաւի

• ծաւիր (cawir), ծաւիկ (cawik)

Ačaṙean leaves the origin open. He asks rhetorically, whether a connection with the North Caucasian word for “sky” is possible: compare Lak ссав (s:aw, “sky”), Avar зоб (zob, “sky”), Dargwa зубри (zubri, “sky”), Aghul зав (zav, “sky”), Tabasaran дзав (dzav), Lezgi цав (cav, “sky”). Starostin and Nikolayev reconstruct Proto-North Caucasian *ʒǝ̆wɨ̆ (“sky”) for these. For the sense development “sky” → “sky-colored” → “blue” compare երկնագույն (erknaguyn).

According to J̌ahukyan, this is perhaps an ablaut grade of ծով (cov, “sea”) +‎ -ի (-i), with a sense development “sea-colored” → “blue”. For such a development compare Arabic ماء (māʔ, “water”) vs مَائِيّ (māʔiyy, “aqua blue”), English aqua and the like.

ծաւի • (cawi)

1. (of a person) blue-eyed
2. (of eyes) pleasant blue

• Armenian: ծավի (cavi)

• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1973) “ծաւի”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume II, Yerevan: University Press, page 450b
• Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “ծաւի”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (2010) “ծաւի”, in Vahan Sargsyan, editor, Hayeren stugabanakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Asoghik, page 361a
• Nikolaev, Sergei L., Starostin, Sergei A. (1994) “*ʒǝ̆wɨ̆”, in A North Caucasian Etymological Dictionary‎, Moscow: Asterisk Publishers
• Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “ծաւի”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy