Adjective

 
<Extracted from the Part I, section 2, The Adjective of the book Pārsīg Language (The so-called Pahlavi): Parts of Speech, Word Formation, and Phonology, Sade publication, 2017, written by Raham Asha>
 
 
Although there are specific words to name or label things, i.e., “substantives”, any word which qualifies a noun or nouns, i.e., an adjective, could also be used as a noun. For possessive and demonstrative adjectives, see “The Pronoun”.
 

§ 1. The adjective

 

§ 1.1. The adjective can precede or follow the substantive to which it belongs. The substantive precedes the adjective with or without the linking particle ī/ īg intervening –there is also the “genitive” hān ī.

 
dēn ī veh / veh dēn ‘good religion’
dād Zarduxšt [abēzag dādīh], dagr abarravišnīh, dēn ī veh ī mazdesnān ravāgdahišnīh ī mānsrspend [hān hān mēnōg kē dēn ī mazdesnān ravāgīh aziš, ud nigāhdārišnīh ī mānsrspend. Sr 29
abar xvadāyīh ud dēn az nigēz ī veh dēn. Dk iii, M 47
 
dīdēm īg jāyēdānag ‘eternal diadem’
u-mān ō vazurg farrah ud dīdēm īg jāyēdānag arzān kunānd. TM 801a
dīdēm brāzāg ‘beaming diadem’
nambarem ō dīdēm brāzāg ī-t ped sar vinnārd. TM 801a
nōg dīdēm ‘new diadem’
āmad nōg farrah, nōg dīdēm ud peymōg ī brāzāg az vahman ud bay hamōzāg ō pēš tō, xvadāy. TM 31 II
 
jadag ī nēk ‘good fortune’, jahišn ī nēk ‘id.’, nēk jahišn ‘id.’
jadag ī nēk bavād hān ī veh ped tan, ruvān ud xvāstag. AV
jahišn ī nēk bavād. ŠnŠ
Vazurgmihr ī Bōxtagān abar avēšān sālār kird ud rōzgār-ē vizīdag ped nēk jahišn ud yazdān ayyārīh ō Hindūgān frestīd. VC 33
 
šahr ī nōg ‘new city; new world’, nōg šahr ‘id.’. (nōg-šahr-āfur-yazd ‘the new-world-creating god, Great Builder’),
ēk hamkāmagīh, cē dahyubed ped hamkāmagīh šahr ī axvāst xvāhed, hān ī xvāst tarvēned, šnōmagān ī vazurg framāyed, ud šahr ī nōg fragāned, … Dk iii, M 135
ud hān šahr ī nōg ud bannestān ī dēvān, ī nōgšahrāfur-yazd dēsīd, hān-z ō vahištāv hassāzīhād ud saxt kirīhād. TM 482
ud abāg Ohrmezd-bay ud rōšnān xvārist ud nōgšahrāfur-yazd handēmān ōy vahištāv šahriyār dastkaš ēstād hend. TM 7984 II
nōg āfrīn ‘new blessing’
āyād nōg āfrīn az bay zurvān, ud nōg šādīh az rōšnān vazurgān vinirād abar hamāg dēn yōždahr, abar sārār ī farrox u-š hamāg vizīdagī. TM 31 I
nōg farr ‘new Fortune’
yazdān nōg farr (xvarrah) abzūd. On a seal of Pērōz the king
 
 

§ 1.2. The concord in number between a substantive and a modifying adjective is optional.

 
nēv ‘brave, valiant; fine; fair’ < *nai̯u̯a- (OPers. naiba- ‘beautiful, good’):
nēv mard ‘a valiant man’
nēv mard dā az kārezār abāz āyed. HOD 28
nēv vāxšān ‘good spirits’
nambarem ō bay Yākōb frēstag, abāg farrahān, zōrān ud nēv vāxšān.TM 4b II
dibīrān nēvān ‘good scribes’
dibīrān nēvān, bayān zādagān, mirdān tahmān, frēstagān ī vāxš. TM 36
dāšnān nēvān ‘good gifts’
ēnak ēd rāymast šāh ī rōšnān kē dāšnān nēvān hambaxšed. TM 224 I
 
vas ‘much, many, numerous, plenty; plural’, adv. ‘in great number, enough’ (OPers. vasiy adv. ‘greatly’):
vas mardōm ‘many people’, vasān mardōm ‘id.’
u-š āhuft ud hamuxt vimandgōbišnīh anī-z vas mardōm sūd frahang. DK vii, M 598
ud tū xvad dānē kū: Ardavān abar man ud tō ud vasān mardōm ī gēhān ped tan ud gyān ud xīr ud xvāstag kāmgārdar pādixšā ast. KAP 2.29
vas kas ‘id.’, vasān kas ‘id.’
ka ō āškāragīh ud pēdāgīh ud vēnišn ī vas kas rased. Dk vi, M 522
man az vas kas ašnūd kū: andar Ērānšahr asvār-ē nēst az zōr ud nērōg ud tanvār ud dīdan ud cābukīh ēdōn cōn tō Šābuhr ī Ardašērān. KAP 13.15
vazurgumēd, abuxšāyišngar, vasān kas frayādišnīg. ĒNN 5
mārān vas
ud abārīg mārān ī vas hamāg hannām hamē jōyend. AVN 19.1
vas kišvar ‘many countries’
im cim rāy ō-z vas kišvar ud zrehvimand franaft hum. ŠGV 1.37
vas tis ‘many things’, vasān tis ‘id.’ šahr, draxt, āb, an vas tis. TM 2 I
vasān tis ī māyagīg apparend. ŠGV 4.26
avēšān vasān vaxšvarān ‘those many prophets’
avēšān vasān vaxšvarān peygāmbarān ī ōy ī-š brihēnīd hend, ōzad ud ped dār kird, ud ast ī tar ud xvār ud anāzarm kird. ŠGV 12.39-40
vas dēv ‘many demons’,
u-šān ped didum ardīg kandag dēv abāg vasān dēvān grift. ŠGV 16.18
ped ātaš abruxtan harv kū vas dēv aziš zad bavend. Dk vi, M 521
vasān yazdān ‘many gods’
(Parth.) vasān yazdān baγān ud radanīn. TM 730
vas kirdagān ‘many services’
ud ped framān ī Šābuhr šāhān šāh ud pušt ī yazdān ud šāhān šāh šahr ō šahr gyāg ō gyāg vas kirdagān ī … KNRm 4
vas mānestānān ‘many monasteries’
nišāst vas mānestānān, vizīd frahīd vizīdagān ud niyūšāgān. TM 2 I
 
vazurg ‘great, grand, big’ (OPers. vazṛka- adj. ‘great’):
dām ī vazurg ‘great creature (i.e. macrocosm)’ (also gēhān ī vazurg, nasāh vazurg, Parth. zambūdīg vuzurg),
ud kandag dēv ōzad, ēn dām ī vazurg aziš dāšt ud kird. ŠGV 16.20
kārezār vazurg ‘great battle’
ud kārezār vazurg se bār baved. J 17
ādur vazurg ‘great fire’ (cf. also ātaš ī vazurg),
abar estaftīh ī ādur vazurg. TM 470
VZ 30.26.
do bun vazurg ‘the two great principles’
do bun vazurg ī šābuhragān. TM 477
do cirāγ vazurgān ‘two big lamps’
(Parth.) Yamagān rōšnān do cirāγ vazurgān. TM 77
vazurg frēstag ‘a great messenger, apostle’
Yākōb vazurg frēstag. TM 43
imēšān bišehkān vazurgān ‘these great doctors’
āfrīd hēb bavend imēšān bišehkān vazurgān, bēšāzāgān ī grīv burzist. TM 801a
 
 

§ 1.3. The adjective, like the substantive, admits of no variation on account of gender. However, rare occurrences of feminine gender can be found:

 
ahlav/ ahlō, ašōg, ardā ‘righteous; saint’ < *ṛtāu̯(ă)n- adj. m. (OPers. ṛtāvan- m., ṛtāvā nom. sg., Av. aṣavan- adj. m., aṣava/ G aṣavā nom. sg.).
mard ī ahlav. F 25.2
mard ī ašo. NM 1, 4, 2
ahlav [ped kār ud dādestān]. Vd 1.5
ahlav bed cōn Guštāsp. ĀfV
ēdōn gōbend kū ēvbār ahlav Zardušt dēn ī pedīrift …AVN 1.1
 
ahlavēnī, ašōgnī < *ṛtau̯nī- adj. f. (Av. aṣaonī-/ aṣāunī- f., also aṣāvairī- feminine of aṣavan-, cf. Skt. ṛtāvarī-).
yąmcā bipaitištanąm aṣaonīm: kē-z dopedištān ahlavēnī [kē zan-ē nēk, u-š rad ī māyagān gōbem]. Y 13.1
nārīg ī ašognī. NM 1, 8, 11
 
 

§ 2. The comparison

 

§ 2.1. The comparative is formed with the ending °tar/ °dar < *°tara. The superlative is formed with the ending °tum/ °dum < *°tama.

 
abar ‘up, upper’ < *upara- (Av. upara-, uparō°):
abardar ‘upper, higher; superior’ < *upara-tara-
ud dudī-z xvarxšēd az hān āstānag ī dudīg ō hān āstānag ī naxvistēn, ī abardar mahī ud vēhmdar az abārīgān, ul vihēzed. TM 7981 II
ud abardar abzōnīg ud pēšxrad būdan, mādayān nē ped uskār bē ped abēzagīh ī menišn ud gōbišn ud kunišn ud veh- mēnōg-vāzišnīh mānsrīg-abēzagīhā-īzišnīh ī yazdān šāyed. Dk iv, M 413
abardum ‘highest, uppermost, supreme’ < *upara-tama- (Paz. aβartum)
āyād nōg āfrīn az bay ī bayān abardum. TM 31 I
abardum xvāyišnīhā framāyem hāmis muvmardān ī vēnāg ērdar ud huxēmdar ud veh nōg nōg a-sūdagīhā abestāg ud zand uskārdan, ud ayābišn ī aziš ō dānāgīh ī gēhānīgān arzānīgīhā abzūdan. Dk iv, M 414
 
arvand ‘fleet, swift, fast; valiant’ < *aru̯ant-am (Av. aurvaṇt- adj. ‘rapid, fleet’, m. ‘fleet courser; steed’):
arvanttar ‘swifter, with great speed; more valiant’
si kas ped ahlāyīh ēn arvanttar: ēk kē andar gursagīh-ē rād; ud ēk kē andar grānmenišnīh-ē rāstguftār; ud ēk kē ōy ī zadag nē zaned. Dk vi, M 482
arvanttum ‘swiftest; most valiant’
Azi-Dahāk kē stī arvanttum. Dk ix, M 813
 
āsān ‘quiet, tranquil, restful, easy’ from ā-sāy-/ āsūdan (Paz. āsą):
āsāndar comp.
ped ēn ī mad ēsted hunsand būdan man āsāndar. DH
āsāndum superl.,
ēk āsānīh ī az harv āsānīh-ē āsāndum hunsandīh. HOD 12
āsānīhādar (Paz. āsānihātar)
nē dādan āsānīhādar hād kū pas az dādan ud ō pēdāgīh āvurdan aziš pahrixtan framūd. ŠGV 11.262
 
ēr ‘down, below; low; inferior’ < *adara- (Av. aδara- adj., aδairi prep.):
ērdar ‘lower’
az dēn ī ērdar ō dēn ī abardar. TM 738
ka jehūdān pedīrag pehikār ēstād hend, ā-š ō jehūdān guft kū: ašmā az ōy ī ērdar; ud an az abardar hum. ašmā az ēn šahr hed; an nē aziš hum. ŠGV 15.117-118
ērdum ‘lowest, nadir’
hān ī ērdum asmān. TM 98 I
ēn zamīg hān ī ērdum srišōyag … RP 48.84
 
farrox ‘fortunate, happy, blessed’ < *farnahu̯ant- (Av. xvarǝnaŋvhaṇt-):
farroxdar ‘happier, more fortunate’
mardōm kadār farroxdar? hān ī avināhdar. AV 5-6
ēdōn kunum kū az tō farroxdar andar gēhān kas nē baved. KAP 3.11
ō yazdān hamē farroxdar kird ped hazār-anōšāyād dādrōy. Pap 70
farroxdum ‘most fortunate’ (Av. xvarǝnaŋvhastǝma-)
hamāgzōr pus ī vāspuhr ī šāhān farroxdum ī dāmān pahlum ī andar gēhān abāyišnīgdum. SS 10
mard hō farroxdar kē cand šāyed dušox ped gētīg bē bared. Dk vi, M 541
farroxīhādar
cē farroxīhādar? abēvināhīh ud hufrazāmīh. AV 211-212
 
jud ‘different, separate; opposite’ < *i̯u-ta- (cf. Skt. yutá-):
juttar ‘more different; different, other’
ēc kas vardēnīdan ud juttar kirdan nē šāyed. MX 8.12
juttar hān zamān. TS 9
abāyišn hamāg az avištāb ped cand ēvēnag baxt nē juttar. Dk iv, M 418
 
mazan ‘monstrous, gigantic’, subst. ‘giant (demon), monster’ < *mazana- (cf. Av. mazāṇt- ‘great’, māzańya- ‘giant’):
mazandar ‘more monstrous’
appardar ud mazandar. TM 7982
bōxt hum az vas gumānīh ud ērang ud frēb ud dušīh ī kēšān, ud nāmcišt az hān ī frēftārān mehdar, mazandar, dušhamōzdar, vardmasturg Mānī. ŠGV 10.58-59
mazandum ‘most monstrous’
dēvān mazandum. Dk iii, M 198
avēšān mazandum ahlemōgān. ŠGV 10.71
See also NM 1.10.9
 
vad ‘evil, bad, wretched’ < *u̯ata- (Pers. بد ):
vattar ‘worse; villain’
akāt̰ aśyō: hān ī az vad vattar ‘worse than the evil’. Abn.
ud hrōmāyīn zaned u-šān vattar kuned. Y 59.31
abēzag dād … gumēzag dād … vattar dād. ŠnŠ 6.7
kē hān ī nēk, ud kē hān ī vattar? J 15
vattum ‘worst’, also vattardum ‘id.’
hān ī vattum oxān. Dk ix, M 808 rendering Av. acišta- aŋhu-.
bē-š aviš bared rīmandum ud vattardum az xvarišnān ī ped dušox parvārd ēsted. MX 2.190
 
xvaš ‘pleasant, sweet, savoury; well-behaved’ < *hu̯arša-:
xvaštar ‘sweeter, very pleasant’
abāg dām ī Ohrmazd ēdōn bē dāned sāxtan kū harv kas ped ēd dāred kū: abāg man xvaštar. RP 62.22
xvarišn-ē kadām xvaštar ud ped-mizagdar? HKR 19
ud harv zamān vād ī hubōy ud bōy ī sprahmān humānāg ō pedīrag āyed ī az harv xvašīh xvaštar, ud az harv hubōyīh hubōydar. MX 7.15
xvaštum ‘sweetest’.
ahlav nar ud nārīg pas az (tan ud bōy) bē-viderišnīh xvaštum az xvarišnān mēnōgān yazdān ahī hān ī medyōzarm rōvn barend, u-š ped gāh ī harvisppēsīd bē nišānend. MX 2.156
 
 

§ 2.2. Some adjectives present the surviving trace of the old comparative formation with the ending *°i̯ah< °i̯as- or the old superlative formation with the ending *°išta< *°ištHa-.

 
burz ‘high, tall, lofty; loud’ < *bṛzant-, *bṛzant-s, *bṛz° (Av. bǝrǝzaṇt-, bǝrǝzō nom. sg. m., Skt. bṛhán), buland ‘id.’ < *bṛzantam (Av. bǝrǝzaṇtǝm acc. sg. m., Skt. bṛhántam):
burzist ‘highest’
bay burzist anōšag xvadayā! TM 74 I
bālist/ bārist (Av. G barǝzišta-, Skt. bárhiṣṭha-),
abar bālist gyāg ‘on the highest place’. Dk vii, M 602.
ō hān ī rōšnīh ī bālist [az hān ī ped cašm pēdāg]. Y 36.6
āfrīn āyād az bayān ī bārist ! TM 4b I
also burzdar ‘higher’, bulant(t)ar ‘id.’
dālman rāy gōbed kū az hān ī burzdar-z parvāz ka muštmahā gōšt ped zamīg ast vēned. Bd 156
vāng ī driyušān bulanttar. DGO
burzistar
(Parth.) frēštag ō ardāv ped andarvāz vāst. vāxt: cē burzistar? TM 48 II
 
dagr ‘long; late’ < *dagra- < *darga- (OPers. darga- adj. ‘long’, Av. darǝγa-/ G darǝga-, Skt. dīrghá-, Paz. də̄r),
drāz ‘long’ < *drāji̯ah- comp. adj. ‘longer’ (Av. drājyō adv. ‘at a greater range, further’, drājah- nt. ‘length’, drājišta- ‘longest’, Skt. drā́ ghīyas- ‘longer’, drā́ ghiṣṭha- ‘longest’, Kurd. drēž ‘long’)
gēsūg syā ud rōšn ud drāz. HKR 96
also drāzdar (Paz. drāžtar)
hān ī drāzdar cōb. PXA 9
 
dōš*, dōšag ‘friend, dear, loving’ < *zau̯šii̯a- (cf. OPers. dauštar- agent-noun ‘friend’/ Pers. dōst, Av. zaoša- m. ‘pleasure’, Skt. jóṣya- adj.):
dōšist ‘dearest, favourite’ (Paz. zōšast)
kē xvarend nān ped visannagīh; ōn dahād ō xvēš dōšist [DMYK/haspīn/]. Ps 126.2
ud Abrāhīm Īshāg , ī-š dōšist pus, ped nihān xvand ud guft kū: ō vahišt šav ud may ī xvār ud pāk āvar! ŠGV 14.42-43
tahm ud nēv pus ī dōšist. TS 9
 
dru° ‘sound, wholesome’ < *druu̯a- (OPers. duruva- adj., Av. druva-, Skt. dhruvá-, Sogd. δrūk),
cf. drubušt: drust/ drist ‘wholesome, healthy, sound; correct, proper’ < druyist < *druu̯išta- superl. adj. (Parth. druvišt, društ)
mā drust avar vīrāz ī xvēdēsm ī xvēdbōy! Vir. 5
drusttar/ (druyisttar) ‘healthier’ (Parth. druvištistar).
drusttar ud pāttum ēsted. N P 78
 
frih/ friy/ frī ‘dear’, s. ‘friend’ < *frii̯a- (Av. frya- adj. ‘dear’, Skt. priyá-, Khot. briya-, Sogd. frī, cf. Bab. Pi-ri-ia < OPers. frya-), or *friθa- (Av. friθa- adj. ‘dear, beloved’):
frīh comp. (Skt. préyas-),
frihist superl. (Av. G fraēšta-, Skt. préṣṭha-),
frihistar secondary comp.,
frihistum/ friyistum secondary superl.
ō man gō, šahriyār aryāmān, u-m abhum, pus ī frihistum, abar zamān ī-t āmadišnīh! TS 9
 
grān (also garān) ‘heavy; grievous; grave; tyrant’ < *garu-, *grāu̯na- (cf. Av. gouru°, Skt. gurú-; Sogd. γǝrān ‘heavy; serious, important’, Khowar γrānu ‘pregnant’):
grāy ‘heavier; more serious; grave’ < *grāi̯ah-,
grāy āhōgān. Dk iii, M 235
abar grāy-rīmanīh ud grān-vināhīh. Dk viii, M 780
u-š pedyārag abārōn garmīh ud grāy daštān vēš mad. Bd 208
u-š Ōdā pedyārag ēn vēš mad kū-š sālār ped sālār nē dārend. ud zimestān-z ānōh grāy baved. Bd 208-9 Here grāy ≈ stahmagdar,
cf. Vd 1.19Z.
grāy … xvārdar ‘more serious … lighter’
Vd 5.4.
cf. also Dk viii, M 733.
also grāndar, grā(y)dar
az kōf zūr ud anāst grāndar. MJF 3
az amar pedyārag ī gennāg mēnōg ī durvand kirrēnīd si ēn grāndar: bastišn vēnišn ī cašm, ud nē-ašnavišnīh ī gōš, ud sidīgar druz ī anāštīh. CHP 47
hān ī grāndar āhōgēnīdan ī mardōm xvadīh. Dk iii, M 384
also grāndum ‘heaviest’
grāndum pādifrāh. Dk ix, M 811
 
kam/ kamb ‘few, little, slight’ < *kṃb-na-/ *kambna- (OPers. kamna-, Av. kamna- adj. ‘few’):
kem comp. ‘less; lesser, inferior’ < *kambi̯ah- (Sogd. kambī, kǝβn, Parth. kamb, Paz. kim, kǝm)
nigūnīh ud bēgānag-nāmīh rāy nē kem pedīrift. Dk iv, M 428
ud gōbišn ī kē xūbdar? ud vehīh ī kē ped menišn kem? MX 39.5-6
vēš ud kem ‘more or less’
peymānīgīh hān baved kē harv tis bē ō peymān handāzed kū vēš ud kem nē baved. RP 62.18
also kamdar.
kamdar menend. MX 18.2
xvaršēd rāsttar ud nihangdar ud sāl ud māh ud rōz kamdar. ZVY 4.16
kamist ‘least’ < *kambišta- (Av. kambištǝm adv.)
kē hān ī kamist kēn framōšed, ā-š az hān ī mahist bīm būzend. VAM 4
 
nazd ‘near’ < *nazda- (cf. Khot. naysda-):
nazdīk ‘nearer; near’ < *nazdii̯ah-ka- (Av. nazdyō adv. from nazdyah- comp. adj. cf. Skt. nédīyas-)
šav ud ped nazdīk gyāg bē nišīy, ud pēšyār bē kun ud zūd bē āy ud frašn rāst bē vizār! MJF 3
also nazdīktar
Spāhān ud Pārs ud kustīhā ī aviš nazdīktar ped dast ī Ardavān sālār būd. KAP 1.2
ēn mardōm ped si gām nazdīktar <nē> būd. HHK
kē xvāstag ud ahlāyīh-iz dōšārm rāy, bē <ō> xvāstag ōgrāyišnīgdar, meyānag ī ō nidum nazdīktar. Dk iii, M 164
nazdist ‘nearest, first’ < *nazdišta- (Av. closest relative’ from Av. nabānazdišta- superl. adj. (Skt. nā́ bhānédiṣṭha-).
nazdištayāt̰ apat̰ haca: az hān ī nazdist āb ‘from the nearest waters’. Y 65.6
nazdist rōz bē šaved, pas šab [ō hān rōz gīred ud andar] āyed. Bd 157
 
pur° ‘much, many’ (OPers. paru-, paruv, Av. pouru-, Skt. purú-):
 
frāy/ freh ‘more’ < *frāi̯ah- < *praH-i̯as- (Av. frāyah- adj., frāyō adv.)
frāy ud vehdar ast. TM 5794 I
šāyed-būd kanāragumand ayāb nē? ud tuvān-dānāgīh and-cand šāyed-būd ayāb frāy? Dk iv, M 418
frāy … kem ‘more … less’
Dk viii, M 697.
ēk ayāb frāy ‘one or more’
Dk viii, M 701.
frāy az/ kū prep
kē may frāy az peymān xvāred. MX 16.49
ēd rāy dōst būd-um handarz frāy kū zarr, ud kū sag ī nēv. Ps 118. 127
also frāydar/ frehdar (Paz. frǝhtar)
viyābānān ud abērāhān vas frehdar hend kū rāstrāhān ud aviyābānān. ŠGV 11.87
frāyist/ frahist ‘most; maximum’ < *frai̯šta- < *praH-ištHa- (cf. Av. fraēšta- superl. of pouru-, also pourutǝma- Paz. frǝhǝst)
az dušmat ud dušdānāgīh frahist mardōm durvand ud dušdēn bavend. Aog. 56
hān ī ēn hazārag sar kē vehīh nihang ud vattarīh amar, ud mazdesnīh xvazār ud nihang, adādīh frāyist. CHP 54
frahist anāgīh.
RP 8c.6
 
sreh ‘more beautiful’ < *srai̯aham < *ćraiH-ias- (Av. srira- adj. ‘beautiful’, srayah- comp., sraēšta- superl. < *ćraiH-ištHa-, Pers. سره )
 
vas ‘much, many’ (OPers. vasiy):
vēš ‘more’ (Paz. və̄š, gə̄š, Bal. gēš)
az hamāg rōd xrafstar andar hān vēš. cōn gōbed kū: dāitī rōd ī pur-xrafstar. Bd 87
as an adjective it occurs mostly in compounds, e. g.:
vēš-marīh ‘greater number’
Dk viii, M 735.
vēš-maragdar ‘the more in number’
Dk viii, M 726.
frāy ud vēš ‘more and more’
frāy ud vēš ped toxšāgī. TM 1
frāy ud vēš abar tō, hamōzag nēvnām, kē nišast hē abar gāh ī pedištān. TM 36
vēš ud kem ‘more or less’, also vēštar
ud gēhān hamcand ēn baved ayāb vēštar ud frāxdar baved? DD 36.1
ud vehīh ī kē ped menišn kem? vehīh ped menišn ī kē vēštar? MX 39.6
vēšist ‘most, maximum’
hān abarvaxšišnīh ī rōšnīh az ahlavān <sar> ud uluzišnīh ī dūd az durvandān kamāl, hān ī az ahlavdar ud hān-z ī durvanttar, vēšist mard-bālāy būd. Dk iii, M 291
cand vēšist (tuvān) ‘as much as possible’
Dk vi, M 538,
RP 18e.1.
 
veh/ vah ‘good’ < *u̯ahu- (Av. vohu-, vaŋhu-, vohūm acc. sg., OPers. vahu in comp., °vaum acc. sg.):
veh dēn ‘good religion’ rendering Av. vaŋvhīm daēnąm.
mard veh ‘good man, lay-man’,
xvad veh būdan. Dk vi, M 589
veh/ vahī ‘better’ < *u̯ahi̯ah- (OPers. vahyas°, vahyazdāta- pr. n., Av. vaŋhah-/ G vahyah-, Skt. vásyaḥ), also vehdar ‘better’
rōvnxvardīg-ē kadām veh ud xvaštar? HKR 37
… az hān ī pēšēnagān dēn frāydar ud vahī hend. TM 5794 I
vehdar ud vistāxdar. KSM 27
vahišt ‘best’, s. ‘Paradise’ <*u̯ahišta-,
also vahištum vahištum
kay ī nāmīg ‘the best among the most renowned Kavi’. Dk ix, M 805
Note that the adjectival form pahlum is used instead of vahišt.
 
xvāl/ xvār ‘delicious, savoury’ < *hu̯ardu- < *hu̯arzu-:
xvārist ‘most delicious, sweetest; most agreeable’ (Av. xvarǝzišta-),
ud abāg ohrmezd-bay ud rōšnān xvārist ud nōgšahrāfur-yazd handēmān ōy vahištāv šahriyār dastkaš ēstād hend. TM 7984 II
 
 

§ 2.3. There are a few suppletive adjectives: kōdak, vazurg, xūb. Their comparative and superlative forms derive from different stems.

 
kōdak ‘small, little; young’ < *kau̯taka-ka- (cf. Av. kutaka- ‘small’), kōcak ‘id.’ < *kau̯ta-cii̯a-ka:
keh ‘smaller, lesser; younger’ < *kaθi̯ah- (Av. kasyah-, Parth. kas)
meh … meyānag … keh ‘big … medium … small’. Dk viii, M 736
agrī … keh. ŠnŠ 9.1
pus ī nē keh az pid, ped harv dānišn hāvand kū pid. ŠGV 15.48
also kahdar (kehdar)
ud ast ī kehdar cōn tīr ud anāhīd. ŠGV 4.42
P 27 (Berlin).
kahādar ‘smaller, younger’(Parth. kasādar),
kōcaktar
murvān ped ašt ristag bē dād az hān ī vazurgdar dā hān ī kōcaktar. VZ 3.56
kahist ‘smallest, least; youngest’ (Av. kasišta-, Parth. kasišt)
az kahist dā mahist gōspend. Dk iii, M 164
 
vazurg / guzurg ‘great, big; old’ (OPers. vazṛka-)/ (cf. Parth. kalān):
meh ‘bigger, greater; older; longer’ < *mas-i̯ah- ‘longer’ & *maz-i̯ah- ‘greater’ (OPers. maθyah-* ‘greater’, Av. mazyah- comp. of maz- ‘great’, masyah- comp. of mas- ‘long’, Paz. mǝh)
mazyō … vaŋhō … srayō: meh … veh … nēktum ‘greater and better and more beautiful’. Y 65.14
meh [ped tan] … veh [ped arz]. Y 65.14
hamāgzōr hamāg mēnōg ī meh ud veh kē ped sīh- rōzagīhā pēdāgēnīd ēsted. SS 8
xvadāy ī meh, hān ī hāvand, hān ī keh az bavandag. Dk iii, M 30
xvard ud mahī ud mazan. TM 7981 I
 
mah (also meh) ‘big, great, old; long’ < *mas- & *maz- (Av. maz- adj. ‘great’, Skt. máh-), also mehdar
ped mehdar mard afsōs mā kun! cē tū-iz abēr mehdar baveh. HAM 56
mehdar ī rahīgxēm kē zan ī aburnāy ped zanīh gīred. 152
mahādar ‘larger; senior’ (Parth. masādar)
mahādar tigr ī si-parrag. Bd 30
ka mahādar Abrāhīm, ī dōst ī Ādōn, cašm dardīhist, ā-š xvad Ādōn ō pursišn mad. ŠGV 14.40
vazurgdar (Parth. vazurgistar)
bīmgen mā bāš cē rāy kē amehrspendān /avānīg? a-vahānīg?/ ud vazurgdar hed! MU 29
mahist ‘greatest; supreme’ (OPers. maθišta-, Av. mazišta-, Parth. masišt)
rōz ī hāminīg mahist cand do rōz ī zimestānīg kahist. Bd 158
xvadāy mahist dānāg ‘the wise and supreme Lord’. PDK 69
Ohrmazd xvadāy mahist. HOD 55
az hān ī mahist bīm būzend. VAM 4
mahist tarsagāhīh. Dk ix, M 796
also mehdum, mahistum (Khot. miśtama-)mazišta xšnaoma :
mehdum dādestān. Dk iii, M 253
ped hān ī mahistum-šnāyišnīh. Vd 3.12
See also TM 1549.
vazurgdum
cē hunsandīh mahist dānāgīh, ud cē vazurgdum umēd mēnōg. HAM 105
 
xūb ‘good, fine’ < *huu̯-apah- (Av. hvapah-, Skt. svápas-, Sogd. xūp, Bactr. χοβο):
veh/ vahī/ vē° ‘better; good’ < *u̯ahi̯ah-
xvāstag tandrustīh veh. H I
veh xūbsāz. XvR I
cirāh vahī. TM 47 II
ō meh ud veh ped hazār-anōšāyād aštād namāz! Pap 147
also xūbdar
drōn hān xūbdar ka and kunend cand andar rōzgār ped kār šāyed kirdan. frasast dā ō se-ēk ī drōn kirbag ōh abzāyed, (az) hān frāz nē abzāyed. RP 58.3
gōbišn ī kē xūbdar? ud vehīh ī kē ped menišn kem? MX 39. 5-6
vehdar
ašmā vehān ī ēdar mad ēsted harv cē vehdar dāned guft gōbed. SS 19
 
pahlum/ pašum ‘best’ < *parθama-
vahištǝm ahūm: hān ī pahlum oxān ‘the best existence’. Y 9.19
mardân pahlum ‘the best of men’. ŠPs II, 5
armanān šāh mahist ud pʾlswmy (Parth. prtr). N P 13
veh ud pašum. RP 31c.3
also pahlumdar
veh ud meh ud pahlumdar. MX 15.11
az menišnān ud gōbišnān ud kunišnān kunišn pahumdar. VAM 25