Editing Zoroastrianism (section)

== Etymology ==
The name ''Zoroaster'' ({{lang|grc|Ζωροάστηρ}}) is a [[Greek language|Greek]] rendering of the [[Avestan]] name ''Zarathustra''. He is known as ''Zartosht'' and ''Zardosht'' in [[Persian language|Persian]] and ''Zaratosht'' in [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]].<ref name="Schmitt-2002">{{Cite encyclopedia|first=Rüdiger|last=Schmitt|date=20 July 2002|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/zoroaster-i-the-name|title=Zoroaster i. The Name|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica|access-date=1 August 2019|archive-date=16 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116171119/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/zoroaster-i-the-name|url-status=live}}</ref> The Zoroastrian name of the religion is ''Mazdayasna'', which combines ''Mazda-'' with the Avestan word ''[[yasna]]'', meaning "worship, devotion".<ref name="Boyce 1983">{{harvnb|Boyce|1983}}.</ref> In [[English language|English]], an adherent of the faith is commonly called a Zoroastrian or a Zarathustrian. An older expression still used today is ''Behdin'', meaning "of the good religion", deriving from ''beh'' < Middle Persian ''weh'' 'good' + ''din'' < Middle Persian ''dēn'' < Avestan ''daēnā''".<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|first=James R.|last=Russell|date=15 December 1989|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/behdin-the-good-religion|title=Behdīn|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica|volume=IV|access-date=1 August 2019|archive-date=5 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231005114549/https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/behdin-the-good-religion|url-status=live}}</ref> In the Zoroastrian [[liturgy]], this term is used as a title for a lay individual who has been formally inducted into the religion in a ''[[Navjote]]'' ceremony, in contrast to the priestly titles of ''osta'', ''osti'', ''[[ervad]]'' (hirbod), ''[[mobed]]'' and ''[[dastur]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Karanjia|first=Ramiyar P.|date=14 August 2016|title=Understanding Our Religious Titles|url=https://parsi-times.com/2016/08/understanding-religious-titles/|access-date=30 January 2021|website=Parsi Times|language=en-GB|archive-date=21 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321000816/https://parsi-times.com/2016/08/understanding-religious-titles/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The first surviving reference to Zoroaster in English scholarship is attributed to [[Thomas Browne]] (1605–1682), who briefly refers to Zoroaster in his 1643 ''[[Religio Medici]]''.<ref>Browne, T. (1643) "Religio Medici"</ref> The term ''Mazdaism'' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|æ|z|d|ə|.|ɪ|z|əm}}) is an alternative form in English used as well for the faith, taking ''Mazda-'' from the name [[Ahura Mazda]] and adding the suffix ''-ism'' to suggest a belief system.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100142763|title=Mazdaism|work=Oxford Reference|language=en|access-date=1 August 2019|archive-date=28 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228225529/https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100142763|url-status=live}}</ref>