Etymology of Russian "sorok"?

[Peter Scotto]

Anybody know the etymology of Russian "sorok" for 40?

As far as I can make out, Preobrazhenskii, says that it most likely derives from
"middle-Greek" "sarakhonta" related to "sarakhoste"  indicating the forty days
of prayer for the dead [in Russian "sorokoustie" or "sorokoust"]. (I think I've
got that right!)

Fasmer, he says rejects this, and follows Pedersen in maintaining that it comes
from "soroka" (= "rubakha") because it took that may sable skins to make up a
full garment. In other words, it was derived from a unit of measure used in the
fur trade.

1) Do we have a generally accepted etmology for the word nowadays?

2) Is there an on-line Russian etymological dictionary?

Thank you,
Peter Scotto
Mount Holyoke College



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