ծաւի

• ծաւիր (cawir), ծաւիկ (cawik)

Ačaṙean leaves the origin open. He asks rhetorically, whether a connection with the North Caucasian word for “sky” is possible: compare Lak ссав (s̄aw, “sky”), Avar зоб (zob, “sky”), Dargwa зубри (zubri, “sky”), Aghul зав (“sky”), Tabasaran дзав (dzav), Lezgi цав (cav, “sky”). Starostin and Nikolayev reconstruct Proto-North Caucasian *ʒǝ̆wɨ̆ (“sky”) for these. For the sense development “sky” → “sky-colored” → “blue” compare երկնագույն (erknaguyn).

According to J̌ahukyan, this is perhaps an ablaut grade of ծով (cov, “sea”) +‎ -ի (-i), with a sense development “sea-colored” → “blue”. For such a development compare Arabic ماء‎ (māʾ, “water”) vs مَائِيّ‎ (māʾiyy, “aqua blue”), English aqua and the like.

ծաւի • (cawi)

1. (of a person) blue-eyed
2. (of eyes) pleasant blue

• Armenian: ծավի (cavi)

• Ačaṙean, Hračʿeay (1973), “ծաւի”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Dictionary of Armenian Root Words] (in Armenian), volume II, 2nd edition, reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, Yerevan: University Press, page 450b
• Awetikʿean, G.; Siwrmēlean, X.; Awgerean, M. (1836–1837), “ծաւի”, in Nor baṙgirkʿ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• J̌ahukyan, Geworg (2010), “ծաւի”, in Vahan Sargsyan, editor, Hayeren stugabanakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), Yerevan: Asoghik, page 361a
• Nikolayev, S. L.; Starostin, S. A. (1994), “*ʒǝ̆wɨ̆”, in A North Caucasian Etymological Dictionary, Moscow: Asterisk Publishers
• Petrosean, H. Matatʿeay V. (1879), “ծաւի”, in Nor Baṙagirkʿ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy