Proto-North Caucasian: *Hamq̇_wĂ / *q̇Hwamq̇_wĂ
Meaning: hard
Notes: The root is probably also reflected in Nakh (cf. Chech. =eq̇a 'hard, rigid'), but here it has completely merged (for phonetic reasons) with PNC *=ĭG_wĂr 'dry, to dry' (q.v.).
As with many adjectival stems, the root is frequently reduplicated. EC and WC languages reflect both the simple and the reduplicated stem. In some subgroups (particularly, in Lezghian) the root was subject to complicated expressive transformations, but still the semantic and phonetic unity of the listed forms is beyond doubt.
