From Old Georgian ნესჳ (neswi). Cognate with Svan კუ̂ახ-ნეს(გ) / კუ̂ახ-ნეშ(გ) (ḳûax-nes(g) / ḳûax-neš(g), “pumpkin”) (for the first part compare Georgian კვახი (ḳvaxi)). Chukhua reconstructs Proto-Kartvelian *nesw- (“melon”) connecting it with other languages of Caucasian substrate. Compare Chechen наьрс (närs), Ingush нарс (nars, “cucumber”), Bezhta неси (nesi). This word is well attested in West Caucasian, cf. Proto-Northwest Caucasian *naš:ʷa (“watermelon, cucumber”), whence Abkhaz анаша (anaŝa), Kabardian нащэ (naśɛ, “cucumber”), Adyghe нашэ (našɛ, “watermelon”), Ubykh нааша (naaŝa).