բաւիղ

• բաւիլ (bawil), բաւեղ (baweł)

The origin is uncertain.

J̌ahukyan derives բաւեղ (baweł) and բաւիղ (bawił) from Proto-Indo-European *bʰəw-elā and *bʰəw-ilā respectively, from *bʰewH- (“to be”), with Ancient Greek φωλεός (phōleós), φωλεά (phōleá, “den, lair”) as the closest cognates. Martirosyan formally amends J̌ahukyan's reconstruction to a more preferable *bʰow(H)-l-eh₂-, but overall is skeptical about it.

Hiwnkʿearpēyēntean proposed connection with the name of the city Babylon (ultimately from Akkadian 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (bābili)); dismissed by Ačaṙean and J̌ahukyan but considered attractive by Martirosyan. Compare especially Classical Syriac ܒܒܠ‎ (Bāḇel).

բաւիղ • (bawił)

1. labyrinth
2. dark, covered place

• Armenian: բավիղ (bavił)

• Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “բաւիղ”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Awetikʿean, G.; Siwrmēlean, X.; Awgerean, M. (1836–1837), “բաւիղ”, in Nor baṙgirkʿ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1971–1979), “բաւիղ”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press
• Martirosyan, Hrach (2010), “bawił”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 174
• Hiwnkʿearpēyēntean, Yovhannēs (1894), “բաւիղ”, in Stugabanakan baṙaran hayocʿ lezui [Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Armenian), Constantinople: Tparan G. Paɫtatlean, pages 22–23
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (1991), “Stugabanutʿyunner [Etymologies]”, in Patma-banasirakan handes [Historical-Philological Journal]‎ (in Armenian), issue 2, pages 36–37