Proto-North Caucasian: *wiq_VśV / *wiś_VχV
Meaning: a bird or animal of prey
Notes: Irregularities are very usual in words denoting small wild animals and insects; despite these irregularities, this root seems to be archaic (although many details of reconstruction are not clear).
We should also mention Cham. (U.-Gakv.) aχaša 'kite', Abkh. á-χ́š́ 'hawk' and Kab. wāšxa 'badger' (see Abdokov 1983, 119). They reveal some similarity with the forms listed, but are absolutely irregular phonetically. They may be borrowed from some of the neighbouring Caucasian languages (?), or, perhaps, from an Iranian source (cf. Avest. kahrkāsa-, M.-Pers. karkās 'kite'?).
