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Si·murgh

(sĭ-mûrg)

A winged creature of Iranian mythology in the form of a gigantic bird, sometimes with a dog's face and a lion's claws, depicted as a benevolent being using its wisdom and magical powers to provide help.

[Persian sīmorġ, from Middle Persian sēn murw, from Avestan saēna- mərəγa- : saēna-, a kind of raptor (probably an eagle or falcon); akin to Sanskrit śyenaḥ, eagle, falcon + mərəga-, bird; akin to Sanskrit mṛga-, deer (from Proto-Indo-Iranian *mga-, animal).]

(click for a larger image)

Simurgh

detail of a c. 1297 Persian manuscript

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

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Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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