Armenian

Noun

մալ • ‎(mal)

1. (dialectal) property, possession
2. (dialectal) cattle, livestock

Declension

Middle Armenian

Etymology 1

From Old Armenian մալ ‎(mal).

Noun

մալ • ‎(mal), genitive singular մալի ‎(mali)

1. property, possession
2. cattle, livestock

Descendants

• Armenian: մալ ‎(mal)

Etymology 2

From Tatar мал ‎(mal, “kind of tax levied on cattle”), from Arabic مَال ‎(māl). Georgian მალი ‎(mali, “money tax”) is of the same origin.

Noun

մալ • ‎(mal), genitive singular մալի ‎(mali)

1. a kind of tax levied on cattle

References

• Łazaryan, Ṙ. S.; Avetisyan, H. M. (2009), “մալ”, in Miǰin hayereni baṙaran [Dictionary of Middle Armenian] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press
• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1971–1979), “մալ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press, published 1926–1935

Old Armenian

Etymology

From Arabic مَال ‎(māl, “property”).

Noun

մալ • ‎(mal)

1. cattle

Usage notes

The meaning ‘ram’ or ‘sheep’ cited in some works is conditioned by the wrong etymological association with Ancient Greek μῆλον ‎(mêlon, “sheep”). The dialectal evidence clearly points to ‘cattle’.

Descendants

• Middle Armenian: մալ ‎(mal)

References

• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1971–1979), “մալ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press, published 1926–1935
• Martirosyan, Hrach (2010) Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 443