Abkhazn.adj.

Etymology: Originally (in quot. 1686 and probably also quot. 1724) < French †Abcas Caucasian people inhabiting Abkhazia (1663; now Abkhaz (20th cent. or earlier)). In later use probably < Russian abxaz (also transliterated abkhaz, abchaz, etc.), member of a Caucasian people inhabiting Abkhazia (1787 in plural abxazy ; already in Old Russian as obezŭ and (with added suffix forming nouns denoting members of a nation) obežaninŭ , although these forms could be directly < the ultimate etymon of Abaza n.). The French and Russian nouns are apparently < Georgian apxaz- in same sense < Hellenistic Greek Ἀβάσγοι , Ἀβάσκοι (see below), probably via Arabic or Persian. The self-designation of the people is Abkhazian aṕsua , of uncertain origin, probably etymologically unrelated to the Georgian, Russian, and French words. With the use as adjective compare Russian abxazskij , adjective (1839 or earlier). Compare later Abkhazian n., Abkhazian adj.Compare the following earlier unassimilated borrowing of post-classical Latin Abasgi , plural noun (5th cent.; apparently not in Pliny) or Hellenistic Greek Ἀβάσγοι , Ἀβάσκοι , plural nouns, which both apparently reflect the ultimate etymon (a self-designation in a north-west Caucasian language) of Abaza n.:1652 A. Ross Hist. World ii. iii. ix. 118 Leo the third called before Isaurus Conon from his country Isauria, had been Governour of Albania in Iustinian's time, and subdued the Abasgi a people of Scythia. The identification of the Abkhazians with the Abazas in quot. 1838 at sense A. 1 is incorrect: see Abaza n. O.E.D. Suppl. (1972) gives the pronunciation as (æbhā·z) /æbˈhɑːz/.