կէս

Probably borrowed from some Iranian reflex of Proto-Iranian *kas- (“to be small, diminish, lessen”). Compare from that root Avestan 𐬐𐬀𐬯𐬫𐬀𐬵 (kasyah, “smaller, lesser”), Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (ks, “small(er), less(er), young(er)”), Persian که (keh, “small”), Nayini käs (“small”); Bactrian κισατο (kisato, “least, youngest”); Baluchi [script needed] (kisān, kasān, “small”); Middle Persian [script needed] (kʾstn' /⁠kāstan⁠/, “to diminish, decrease, lessen”), Persian کاستن (kâstan, “to decrease”). Further origin uncertain; compare perhaps German hager (“gaunt”) and Lithuanian kašėti (“to lessen, become thin, dry, weaken”). See ESIJa[1] and Cheung[2] for more on the Iranian words, without the Armenian. See also Old Armenian կրտսեր (krtser).

կէս • (kēs)

1. half

   ի կէս, կիսով չափ ― i kēs, kisov čʻapʻ ― by half; half done

   կէս ի կէս ― kēs i kēs ― in part, half, by halves, imperfectly

   կէս ի կէս բանիւ խոստանալ ― kēs i kēs baniw xostanal ― to make a half promise; to promise with the lips, insincerely

   կէս ժամ ― kēs žam ― half an hour

   զտասն եւ կէս ժամաւ ― ztasn ew kēs žamaw ― at half past ten

   կէս գիշեր ― kēs gišer ― midnight

   կէսի ճանապարհին ― kēsi čanaparhin ― half way

   հեռի իբր երկու եւ կէս խրասախօք ― heṙi ibr erku ew kēs xrasaxōkʻ ― about two leagues and a half distant

   ի կանգնոյ եւ ի կիսոյ ― i kangnoy ew i kisoy ― a cubit and a half

   ի տարւոջ եւ ի կիսում ― i tarwoǰ ew i kisum ― in a year and a half

   ի կէսն վերածել ― i kēsn veracel ― to reduce to half

   ի կէս աւուրց մեռանել ― i kēs awurcʻ meṙanel ― to die early, in the flower or bloom of youth

   եթէ կիսոյ կէս ի մէնջ մեռանիցիմք ― etʻē kisoy kēs i mēnǰ meṙanicʻimkʻ ― if half of us die

   մեծ կէս աշխարհին աւերացաւ ― mec kēs ašxarhin aweracʻaw ― half the country was ruined

   եւ ահա ի կէս չէ/ոչ է ի կէս զոր պատմեցին ինձ ― ew aha i kēs čʻē/očʻ ē i kēs zor patmecʻin inj ― not half the truth was told me; that which was told me was not half the truth

   կէսք ― kēskʻ ― some

   կէսք..., այլք... ― kēskʻ..., aylkʻ... ― some... others...

կէս • (kēs)

1. in part

• Armenian: կես (kes)
• Georgian: კესი (ḳesi)

• Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1973) “կէս”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume II, Yerevan: University Press, pages 581–582
• Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836) “կէս”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), volume I, Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 1094b
• Kerestedjian, Bedros (1945) Kerest Haig, editor, Étude philologique et lexicographique de 6000 mots et noms arméniens avec des comparaisons de 100.000 mots de 900 langues et des données historiques et géographiques‎ (in French), London: Bernard Quaritch Ltd., page 218
• Martirosyan, Hrach (2010) Etymological Dictionary of the Armenian Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 8), Leiden and Boston: Brill, page 360
• Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “կէս”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
• Viredaz, Rémy (2003) “The Great Armenian Puzzle is not Thorny”, in Annual of Armenian linguistics‎, numbers 22-23, page 64, footnote 21