besë

See also: bese and besé

Albanian

Etymology

A formation from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- (“to trust”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbesə/
• Rhymes: -esə

Noun

besë f (plural besë) (uncountable)

1. pledge, oath, word of honor, promise, vow

   Synonym: premtim

2. trust, belief (in someone)

   Synonyms: bindje, besim

3. (archaic)
   1. truce between two clans in a blood feud; truce period
   2. protection when hosted as a guest, aegis

      Synonym: ndore

   3. alliance, coalition, agreement

      Synonym: besëlidhje

4. (countable, colloquial) religion, faith, creed

   Synonym: fe

Derived terms

• besa
• besa-besë
• besatar
• besatohem
• besëkeq
• besëkeq
• besëkotë
• besëlidhës
• besëlidhje
• besëmirë
• besëpakë
• besëplotë
• besëprerë
• besëqen
• besëshkalë
• besëtar
• besëtytë
• besëthyerje
• besëthyes
• besim
• besni
• besnik
• besoj
• pabesë

 

Related terms

• be
• bind
• fe

 

Descendants

• → Aromanian: besã
• → Bulgarian: бе́са (bésa)
• → Greek: μπέσα (bésa)
• → Macedonian: беса (besa)
• → Ottoman Turkish: بسا (besa)
  • Turkish: besa
• → Serbo-Croatian: bésa／бе́са

References

• “bés/ë,~a”, in FGJSSH: Fjalor i gjuhës së sotme shqipe [Dictionary of the modern Albanian language]‎ (in Albanian), 1980, page 126ab
• Orel, Vladimir E. (1998) “besë”, in Albanian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden, Boston, Köln: Brill, →ISBN, page 22
• Demiraj, B. (1997) Albanische Etymologien: Untersuchungen zum albanischen Erbwortschatz [Albanian Etymologies: […]] (Leiden Studies in Indo-European; 7)‎ (in German), Amsterdam, Atlanta: Rodopi, page 96f.
• Meyer, G. (1891) “besɛ”, in Etymologisches Wörterbuch der albanesischen Sprache [Etymological Dictionary of the Albanian Language] (in German), Strasbourg: Karl J. Trübner, →DOI, page 33