Dictionary

Tokhar en · NOUN

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Τόχαρος (Tókharos) or Iranian Persian تُخار (toxâr).

Meanings

1. Synonym of Tocharian (“any member of the Tochari, a people who inhabited Bactria”)
   • While the Tokhars are considered an Iranian tribe, the Yue-chi belonged, judging at least from their language, to the western branch of the Indo-European family. 1943, A History of Russia, volume 1, page 67:
   • This time the nomads were the Yue-che (Yüe-czi), who, according to one authority (Tolstov), could be the same as the Greater Getae or Massagetae. It was probably a group of tribes, undoubtedly of Indo-European origin, one of which were the Tokhars who gave their name to Bactria (Tokharistan). 1972, Edgar Knobloch, Beyond the Oxus: Archaeology, Art & Architecture of Central Asia, page 20:
   • Here too it remained still dispossessed by the Hiungnû, B.C. 177 (Shi-ki, cxxiii) when the tribe broke up, the greater part migrating to Baktria, where for a time they associated with the Tokhars 大夏, afterwards appearing as the Ephthalîtae of the later Greek historians. 1885, Journal of the China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, page 51:

Forms

Relateds

Tokharistan

Synonyms

Tocharian