Avesta
/əˈvɛstə/noun
The sacred scripture collection of Zoroastrianism, preserved in the Avestan language.
Did you know?The word’s exact origin is disputed, but scholars connect its Middle Persian form, abestāg, with an Iranian tradition of sacred recitation and possibly “praise.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*steh₂-
“To stand or be firmly positioned; a proposed deep root behind Iranian words connected with standing or praising.”
Proto-Indo-Iranian
PII
*stāva-
“A proposed ancestor associated with praise or a hymn; this reconstruction is debated.”
Ancient Iranian
Avestan
Avesta-related forms
“The liturgical language in which the Zoroastrian scriptures were composed and transmitted.”
9th–10th Century
Middle Persian
abestāg
“The name used in Middle Persian for the Zoroastrian scriptural collection.”
Medieval Persian
Persian
abestā
“A later Persian form referring to the Zoroastrian sacred texts.”
Modern English
English
Avesta
“The standard English name for the sacred scripture of Zoroastrianism.”