Where does “Zildjian” come from?
Zildjian (English) comes from Armenian Զիլճյան, from Turkish zil, from Ottoman Turkish زل, from Persian زیر, from Middle Persian azēr — under.
Ancestry of “Zildjian”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Armenian | Զիլճյան | — |
| 2 | Turkish | zil | bell; cymbal |
| 3 | Ottoman Turkish | زل | — |
| 4 | Persian | زیر | high-pitched; kasra; underneath |
| 5 | Middle Persian | azēr | under |