ܦܺܝܫܣܰܓ pyšspg pišsap̄āḡ, plur. ܦܝܼܫܣܲܦܵܓܵܢ pyšspgn pišsap̄āḡān forerunner
Allotrope: ܦܝܫܣܦܝܓ pyšspyg
MP *pēš-aspīg, lit. "what is before the horses (the cavalry)", namely "the vanguard" (Gignoux, personal communication). Lagarde and Hoffmann propose an etymon, accepted by LS, that derives the word from the Persian sequence pēš before+ asp horse + pāya the step of a stair; basis, foundation; etc. (Steingass 236; the Syr. forms presuppose MP pāyag base, station, CPD 66). PS Suppl. proposes Pers. pēš sipāh, lit. "before the army", but this etymon is formally inadequate for the Syr. form (the -g would be inexplicable). See also § 9.3.2 ● pyšspg, pyšspyg, pyšspgn am 2, 25, 9; Hoffmann 1880, 14 n. 95 ◆ LS 613b; Lagarde GA 74, 188; PS 3123; PS Suppl. 265