𐰓𐰏𐰇

ädgü is the general Old Turkic word for “good”. It can describe moral goodness in people, quality or usefulness in things, health, favourable circumstances and good fortune; as a noun it can also mean “goodness, good, virtue”. In Irk Bitig, ädgü ol “it is good” is the standard favourable verdict of an omen, opposed to yavlak or yavız “bad”. In religious texts the word also develops contextual meanings such as “virtuous, meritorious” and “religious merit”.

The etymology is disputed. One analysis derives *ädgü from *äd “thing, property, goods” with -gU, but the morphology is problematic because -gU is normally attached to verbal stems. Another analysis assumes an otherwise poorly attested verbal base meaning “to be suitable, fitting” + -gU. Neither derivation is certain. The later forms show several regular developments, especially ädgü → eygü → eyü → eyi, which underlies modern Turkish iyi and Azerbaijani eyi.