From Middle Persian [script needed] (hlbyck' /⁠xarbīzag⁠/, “watermelon”), of unclear origin: * According to Horn, the latter is formed as 𐮴𐮹 (xar, “ass, donkey”) + 𐮱𐮵𐮿𐮵𐮰 (bwcnʾ /⁠bōzīnʾ⁠/, “cucumber; citron”). The first part is from Proto-Indo-Iranian *kʰáras, and the second part is probably related to Proto-Semitic *būṣ-. However, this is considered a folk etymology by Nişanyan. * According to Pelliot, a reshaping of Sanskrit त्रपुस (trapusa, “the fruit of colocynth”) by popular etymology. Forms with t- are attested in Persian: تربزه (tarboze), تربز (tarboz, “watermelon”). Akin to Middle Armenian խարպիզակ (xarpizak), խարբզակ (xarbzak), Georgian ხაბურზაკი (xaburzaḳi), ხარბუზაკი (xarbuzaḳi), Iranian borrowings.