Proto-North Caucasian: *k_Hǝ̄ṭwV̄/ *k_wHǝ̄ṭV̄
Meaning: short;short-eared (hornless) animal
Notes: The vocalic reconstruction is not very certain because of labialisation shifts; length is postulated primarily on basis of WC evidence (if the PAA voiced stops really go back to strong stops in PWC). Consonantal correspondences are more or less regular (we should mention only the regressive assimilation in Av.-And.-Tsez. and the delabialisation of the dental stop in PWC: rather frequent phenomena in roots consisting of two stops). Note that Arch. kūṭa- 'short' is obviously a Lak. loan.
Phonetically a perfect match is Khin. ḳuṭa 'puppy'; since it has no other etymology, it may ultimately belong here, too.
Both meanings - simply 'short' and 'short-eared (animal)' must be postulated already for PEC, since they keep appearing in different subgroups. However, it is hard to reconstruct a definite meaning for PNC (was it 'short' or a 'short-horned animal' or both?).
