Armenian

Suffix

-իկ • ‎(-ik)

1. forming diminutives or terms expressing affection

   մայրիկ‎ ― mayrik ― mommy

   շնիկ‎ ― šnik ― doggy

   գնդիկ‎ ― gndik ― little ball

Synonyms

• (diminutive): -ուկ ‎(-uk), -ակ ‎(-ak)

Derived terms

Middle Armenian

Etymology

From Old Armenian -իկ ‎(-ik).

Suffix

-իկ • ‎(-ik)

1. forming diminutives

Derived terms

Descendants

• Armenian: -իկ ‎(-ik)

Old Armenian

Etymology 1

From earlier *-իկն ‎(*-ikn), from the stem element *-ī̆- + Proto-Indo-European *-kon- suffix. Compare the n-type declension of words with this suffix. Possibly contaminated with -իկ ‎(-ik) of Iranian origin (see Etymology 2). See also -ուկ ‎(-uk).

Suffix

-իկ • ‎(-ik)

1. forming diminutives

   շուն‎ ― šun ― dog

   շնիկ‎ ― šnik ― doggy

Declension

Derived terms

Descendants

• Middle Armenian: -իկ ‎(-ik)

Etymology 2

From Iranian *-īk (*-ya-ka).

Suffix

-իկ • ‎(-ik)

1. forming agent nouns and adjectives

   մարտ‎ ― mart ― fight

   մարտիկ‎ ― martik ― fighter

   ոստանիկ‎ ― ostanik ― a free inhabitant of ոստան ‎(ostan)

   մարզիկ‎ ― marzik ― athlete

   տոհմիկ‎ ― tohmik ― noble

   սպասիկ‎ ― spasik ― servant

   այժմիկ‎ ― ayžmik ― now, at present

   դրանիկ‎ ― dranik ― courtier

2. forming names of nations

   հնդիկ‎ ― hndik ― Indian

   պարսիկ‎ ― parsik ― Persian

Declension

Derived terms

References

• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1998), “-իկ”, in Hin hayereni verǰacancʿneri cagumə [The Origin of Old Armenian Suffixes] (Hayocʿ lezvi hamematakan kʿerakanutʿyan harcʿer; 2) (in Armenian), Yerevan: Anania Širakacʿi, pages 5–48