Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *khāt-. The only other surviving cognates are Armenian ablauts խաչ ‎(xačʿ, “cross, crucifix”), խոչ ‎(xočʿ, “a piece of wood or stone protruding from ground upon which one may stumble, an obstacle”) and խէչ ‎(xēčʿ, “prop, stay, on which plants are supported”). Akin to Arabic خازوق ‎(xāzūq, “stake, impalement”), an Iranian borrowing.