-ան

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

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

-ան • (-an)

1. forming nouns and adjectives
2. instrument-suffix

   խցան ― xcʻan ― cork

From Old Armenian -ան (-an).

-ան • (-an)

1. forming nouns and adjectives

• Armenian: -ան (-an)

Probably a contamination of the Iranian suffix *-ān(a)- with the Proto-Indo-European *-nós, *-nā- suffix added to the stem vowel *-ā/ə-.

-ան • (-an)

1. forming nouns and adjectives
2. instrument-suffix

   տոփան ― topʻan ― rammer

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

• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1998) “-ան”, in Hin hayereni verǰacancʻneri cagumə [The Origin of Old Armenian Suffixes] (Hayocʻ lezvi hamematakan kʻerakanutʻyan harcʻer; 2) (in Armenian), Yerevan: Anania Širakacʻi, pages 5–48

From the Middle Iranian pluralization suffix *-ān, found in Parthian, Middle Persian and Modern Persian. Compare also -անի (-ani).

-ան • (-an)

1. collective suffix

   իշան ― išan ― donkeys

   ձիան ― jian ― horses

• Armenian: -անք (-ankʻ)

• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1998) “-ան”, in Hin hayereni verǰacancʻneri cagumə [The Origin of Old Armenian Suffixes] (Hayocʻ lezvi hamematakan kʻerakanutʻyan harcʻer; 2) (in Armenian), Yerevan: Anania Širakacʻi, pages 5–48

From Proto-Indo-European *-n̥to, the third-person plural past indicative middle ending of verbs. The -ա- (-a-) of this form is thought to have spread throughout other persons and numbers of the aorist mediopassive indicative paradigm.

-ան • (-an)

1. third-person plural aorist mediopassive indicative ending of verbs

   նստ-ան ― nst-an ― they sat

   հայեց-ան ― hayecʻ-an ― they looked

• -ւ (-w)

• Fortson, Benjamin W. (2010) Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction, second edition, Oxford: Blackwell, page 392