Weekly Georgian Etymology: ტყავი ṭq̇avi 'leather, hide', from Old Georgian ႲႷႠႥႨ ṭq̇avi hide, sheepskin, from Georgian-Zan *ṭq̇aw- hide. Famous in Georgian from the epic poem ვეფხისტყაოსანი Vepxisṭq̇aosani Knight in the Tiger Skin, it may be the source of Greek κῶας fleece.
Weekly Georgian Etymology: ალავერდი Alaverdi, ancient monastic site in northern Kakheti, from Old Georgian ႠႪႠႥႤႰႣႨ Alaverdi, haplology of earlier *Alvan-gverdi, lit. next to Alvani, from *Alwan, probable ancient endonym of the Caucasian Albanians. Its feast day is 28 September.
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Weekly Georgian Etymology: შინაური ცხოველი šinauri cxoveli 'pet', lit. domestic animal, modern phrase from Old Georgian ႸႨႬႠ šina in, inside, and ႺႾႭႥႤႪႨ cxoveli animal, from Georgian-Zan *šˠe/i- in(to) and *cʲxow- live. Its recency reflects the changing status of animals.
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Weekly Georgian Etymology: ნიორი niori 'garlic', from Old Georgian ႬႨႭႰႨ niori, an ancient borrowing from Nakh-Daghestanian *miɦwVrV- 'herb': cf Tabasaran nührer mint, Kryz nuräj barberry, Lak nur weed with edible root. A common semantic shift of plant species based on usage.
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Weekly Georgian Etymology: ჯიში jiši 'breed, varietal, race' from Middle Georgian ჯინში jinši / ჯინსი jinsi, from Arabic جنس jins variety, breed, from Syriac ܓܸܢܣܵܐ gensā kind, type, from Greek γένος race, stock, from Indo-European *ǵénh₁os kind. Often used for grape varietals.
