Hesychius

Fick and Pisani give two different Greek etymologies: from ἀάζω "breathe with the mouth wide open" <* ἀFαδ- and ἄγνος "chaste-tree", the branches of which were strewed by matrons on their beds at the Thesmophoria. Kalleris considers it a composite word meaning "with soft thorns" from Doric ἇβος "new, soft, fresh" and ἀκή "point" or ἄγνυμι "to break". Hoffmann και Thumb consider it of non-Greek origin. Haebler considers them non-Indo-European.

For commentary see: Sturz 1808, 34∙ Fick 1874 (KZ 22), 193∙ Hoffmann 1906, 41∙ Thumb & Kieckers 1932, 9∙ Pisani 1937, 25∙ Kalleris 1954 [1988], 66-73∙ Belardi 1958 (Ric. Ling. 4), 196