Murghab
/ˈmɜːrɡɑːb/noun
Murghab is a place-name used for several rivers, valleys, and settlements in Central Asia and Afghanistan.
Did you know?The name comes from Persian مرغاب (morḡāb), traditionally interpreted as a compound of murgh, “bird,” and āb, “water,” likely referring to bird-rich wetlands or river landscapes.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mórgʰos / *mr̥gós
“Wild animal or game; the source of the Indo-Iranian bird term is connected with an older word for wild creature.”
Proto-Iranian
Proto-Iranian
*mr̥gá
“Wild animal or bird.”
Middle Persian
Middle Persian
murw
“Bird.”
Old Persian
Old Persian
āp
“Water.”
New Persian
Persian
murgh + āb
“Bird plus water; a compound place-name.”
Modern English
English
Murghab
“A geographic name for rivers and settlements in Central Asia and Afghanistan.”