An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Being before all others with respect to time, order, importance, etc., used as the ordinal number of one.

Etymology (EN): O.E. fyrst “foremost,” superlative of fore, from P.Gmc. *furisto (cf. O.H.G. furist, O.N. fyrstr, Dan. første, M.Du. vorste “first,” Ger. Fürst “prince”), superlative of *fur-/*for-, from PIE *pro- (cf. Av. pouruua- “first,” fra- “forward, forth;” Skt. pūrva- “first,” pra- “before, formerly,” Gk. pro; L. pro; E. fore).

Etymology (PE): Naxost, from Mid.Pers. naxust “the first,” Parthian Mid.Pers. nxwšt, from naxu, Manichean Parthian nwx “beginning” + -ist superlative suffix, Av. -išta-, cf. Skt. -istha-, Gk. -istos, O.H.G. -isto, -osto, O.E. -st, -est, -ost; naxostin, from naxost + suffix -in.
Yekom, from yek, → one, + -om suffix of ordinal numbers.
Âqâz “beginning,” from Proto-Iranian *āgāza-, from prefix ā-

• *gāz- “to take, receive,” cf. Sogdian āγāz “beginning, start,” pcγz “reception, taking.”