Nūshīrvān
/nuːʃiːrˈvɑːn/
proper noun
Origin
Middle Persian
anōšag (immortal) + ruwān (soul) — Possessing an immortal soul
Overview
Meaning Now
- A legendary Sasanian King of Persia (Khosrow I), often cited in literature and folklore as a paragon of justice and wisdom.
Literal older meaning
Of immortal soul
Language path
Middle Persian → Persian
Earliest form
Anōšag-ruwān
Earliest period
6th century
Journey
Khosrow I (r. 531–579 AD), known as Anōšag-ruwān, was the most celebrated of the Sasanian kings. His reign is associated with profound legal, tax, and military reforms. In later Persian and Islamic tradition, he became a symbol of the 'Just King' (ʿĀdil), often invoked by poets like Ferdowsi in the Shahnameh.
Evolution
- Middle Persian (6th century)
Anōšag-ruwān
“Of immortal soul”
Original royal epithet for Khosrow I.
- Classical Persian (10th-12th century)
Nūshīrvān
“The just king”
Development of the epithet into a proper name used in epic literature.
Connections
Word parts
nū
prefix
immortal (derived from anōšag)
shīr
root
soul (ruwān modification)
vān
suffix
possessor/possessing
Related across languages
Avestan
anaoša
immortal
Related words
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Related to Nūshīrvān
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.