Proto-North Caucasian: *bHV̆rgĂ
Meaning: a beast of prey
Notes: The root is well attested in WC, but has left only faint traces in EC languages (Chech. and Darg., both only in compounds). Still the NC reconstruction seems rather probable, and EC languages have probably lost the root because the particular beast of pray (jackal?), denoted by the root in PNC, was not spread in the mountains of East Caucasus.
It is interesting to note similar words in other languages of the East: cf. Sum. pirig 'lion', Old Indian vyāghrá- 'tiger' (whence Arm. vagr) etc.
