кумир

Etymology

Borrowed from Old Church Slavonic коумиръ (kumirŭ), whose origin is uncertain. Perhaps a Turkic or Semitic borrowing: compare Classical Syriac ܟܘܡܪܐ (kūmrāʾ, “priest”), whence Old Armenian քուրմ (kʻurm, “priest”). Has also been connected to Ossetian гуымиры (g°ymiry, “giant”) and Georgian გმირი (gmiri, “hero”) and together with them derived from the name of Cimmerians.