Indo-European Lexicon
PIE Etymon and IE Reflexes
Below we display: a Proto-Indo-European (PIE) etymon adapted from Pokorny, with our own English gloss; our Semantic Field assignment(s) for the etymon, linked to information about the field(s); an optional Comment; and Reflexes (derived words) in various Indo-European languages, organized by family/group in west-to-east order where Germanic is split into West/North/East families and English, our language of primary emphasis, is artificially separated from West Germanic. IE Reflexes appear most often as single words with any optional letter(s) enclosed in parentheses; but alternative full spellings are separated by '/' and "principal parts" appear in a standard order (e.g. masculine, feminine, and neuter forms) separated by commas.
Reflexes are annotated with: Part-of-Speech and/or other Grammatical feature(s); a short Gloss which, especially for modern English reflexes, may be confined to the oldest sense; and some Source citation(s) with 'LRC' always understood as editor. Keys to PoS/Gram feature abbreviations and Source codes appear below the reflexes; at the end are links to the previous/next etyma [in Pokorny's alphabetic order] that have reflexes.
All reflex pages are currently under active construction; as time goes on, corrections may be made and/or more etyma & reflexes may be added.
Pokorny Etymon: 2. ak̑-, ok̑- 'sharp, acute, angular; stone'
Semantic Field(s): Sharp, Rock, Stone
Indo-European Reflexes:
| Family/Language | Reflex(es) | PoS/Gram. | Gloss | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic | ||||
| Old Irish: | ēr | adj | high | GED |
| ochair | n | edge | GED | |
| Gaulish: | Aχrotalus | prop.n | with high forehead | GED |
| English | ||||
| Old English: | ægnan | n.str.fem.pl | chaff | GED |
| agen | n | ear of grain | W7 | |
| agu | n | magpie | GED | |
| ēar | n.str.neut | ear, icker | GED | |
| ecg | n.str.fem | tip, edge | GED | |
| egenu | n.str.fem | chaff | GED | |
| egl | n.str.masc | splinter | GED | |
| Middle English: | acetous | adj | acetous | AHD |
| acuite | n | acuity | AHD | |
| aglet | n | aglet | W7 | |
| ague | n | ague | W7 | |
| awn(e), aune, awene, agun | n | awn | CDC/W7 | |
| egge | n | egg | W7 | |
| eggen | vb | to egg (on), urge/tempt, incite/entice | W7 | |
| eglentyn | adj | eglantine | W7 | |
| egre | adj | eager | W7 | |
| selvage | n | selvage | W7 | |
| vinegre | n | vinegar | W7 | |
| English: | acerate | adj | pointed like needle | AHD/W7 |
| acerbic | adj | sour/acid in taste | AHD | |
| acerose | adj | long and narrow and pointed | AHD | |
| acetabulum | n | hipbone socket; a leech's sucker | AHD/W7 | |
| acetic | adj | re: vinegar, acetic acid | AHD/W7 | |
| acetous | adj | sour, acetic | AHD | |
| acetum | n | vinegar, dilute acetic acid solution | AHD | |
| acicula | n | needlelike spine/bristle/crystal | AHD/W7 | |
| acid | adj | sour, sharp, biting to the taste | AHD/W7 | |
| acid | n | sour substance | W7 | |
| acidanthera | n | (type of) flower | AHD | |
| acidic | adj | acid, acid-forming | W7 | |
| acme | n | peak, highest point | AHD/W7 | |
| acne | n | skin pore inflammation | AHD/W7 | |
| acrid | adj | sharp/pungent in taste/odor | AHD/W7 | |
| acrimony | n | harsh/biting sharpness (of words) | AHD/W7 | |
| acr(o)- | pfx | topmost, extreme | AHD/W7 | |
| acrobat | n | one who performs gymnastic feats | AHD/W7 | |
| acromegaly | n | chronic hyperpituitarism (enlargement of feet/hands) | AHD/W7 | |
| acromelic | adj | re: extremity ends (hands/feet) | AHD | |
| acromion | n | high outside part of scapula | AHD | |
| acronym | n | word formed by first letters of name | AHD | |
| acrophobia | n | abnormal fear of heights | W7 | |
| acropolis | n | upper fortified part of ancient Greek city | AHD/W7 | |
| acrostic | n | composition where initial/final letters of lines form word/phrase/sequence | AHD | |
| acuity | n | sharpness, keenness of perception | AHD/W7 | |
| aculeate | adj | having a sting, prickly | AHD/W7 | |
| acumen | n | keenness of perception | AHD/W7 | |
| acuminate | vb | to taper to sharp point | AHD | |
| acupuncture | n | Chinese medical science of body puncture | AHD/W7 | |
| acute | adj | sharp, severe, penetrating | AHD/W7 | |
| aglet | n | tag of a lace-end | AHD/W7 | |
| ague | n | fever of heat, chills, sweating | AHD/W7 | |
| amphioxus | n | lancelet | AHD/W7 | |
| awn | n | slender bristle at end of grain-stalk | AHD/W7 | |
| carvacrol | n | liquid phenol used as antiseptic | AHD/W7 | |
| eager | adj.arch | keen, sharp | AHD/W7 | |
| ear | n | fruiting spike of a cereal | AHD/W7 | |
| edge | n | edge, cutting side or line | AHD/W7 | |
| egg | vb | to incite to action | AHD/W7 | |
| eglantine | n | sweetbrier | AHD/W7 | |
| ester | n | organic acid/alcohol compound | AHD/W7 | |
| exacerbate | vb | to excite, enflame, intensify | AHD/W7 | |
| icker | n | head of grain | W7 | |
| mediocre | adj | middling, inferior | AHD/W7 | |
| oxalis | n | wood sorrel | AHD/W7 | |
| oxygen | n | oxygen | AHD/W7 | |
| oxytone | adj | acutely accented on last syllable | AHD/W7 | |
| paragon | n | model of excellence/perfection | AHD/W7 | |
| paroxysm | n | convulsion, sudden onset of disease symptoms | AHD/W7 | |
| selvage | n | ravel-resistant fabric edge | AHD/W7 | |
| vinegar | n | vinegar | AHD/W7 | |
| West Germanic | ||||
| Old Frisian: | eg, ig | n.fem | edge | ASD |
| Frisian: | eher | n.str.neut | ear | GED |
| ig | n | edge | ASD | |
| Middle Flemish: | egge | n | edge | W7 |
| selvage, selvegge | n | ravel-resistant fabric edge | W7 | |
| Old Saxon: | eggia | n.str.fem | tip, edge | GED |
| Old High German: | aga | n | magpie | GED |
| agana | n.str.fem | chaff, ear of grain | GED | |
| ahir | n.str.neut | ear | GED | |
| ecka, ekka | n.str.fem | tip, edge | ASD/GED | |
| ehir | n.str.neut | ear | GED | |
| Middle High German: | ag(e)ne, ane | n | awn | CDC |
| eck | n.neut | edge | ASD | |
| ecke | n.fem | edge | ASD | |
| German: | Ähre | n.fem | ear | LRC |
| akut | adj | acute, urgent | LRC | |
| Äther | n | ether | W7 | |
| Eck | n.neut | edge | ASD | |
| Ecke | n.fem | edge, corner | ASD | |
| Essig | n | vinegar | W7 | |
| Essigäther | n | ethyl acetate | W7 | |
| Ester | n | organic acid/alcohol compound | W7 | |
| North Germanic | ||||
| Old Norse: | egg | n.fem | edge | LRC |
| eggja, eggjað | vb | to urge, whet | LRC | |
| ögn | n | ear of grain | W7 | |
| Old Icelandic: | ax | n.str.neut | ear | GED |
| egg | n.str.fem | tip, edge | GED | |
| ǫgn | n.str.fem | chaff | GED | |
| Icelandic: | egg | n.fem | edge | ASD |
| ögn, agnar | n | awn, chaff | CDC | |
| Danish: | avne | n | awn, chaff | CDC |
| eg | n.masc/fem | edge | ASD | |
| Swedish: | agg | n.masc | prick, resentment | GED |
| agga | vb.wk | to prick, incite | GED | |
| *agn, agnar | n | awn, chaff | CDC | |
| egg | n.masc | edge | ASD | |
| East Germanic | ||||
| Gothic: | ahaks | n | tame white dove (sacrificial dove; also symbol of the Holy Spirit) | GED |
| ahana | n.fem | awn, chaff | GED | |
| ahs | n.neut | ear (of grain) | GED | |
| Italic | ||||
| Umbrian: | ocar | n | mountain | GED |
| ukar | n | mountain | GED | |
| Old Latin: | mediocris | adj | mediocre, at mid-height | GED |
| ocris | n | rocky mountain | GED | |
| Latin: | aceo, acēre | vb | to be sour | W7 |
| acer, aceris | n.neut | maple (tree) | GED | |
| ācer, ācris, ācre | adj | sharp, piercing | GED | |
| acerbo, acerbare | vb | to aggravate, make harsh/bitter | AHD/CLD | |
| acerbus | adj | harsh, bitter | W7 | |
| aceris | n.gen | chaff | GED | |
| acetum | n.neut | vinegar | W7 | |
| acidus | adj | sour, acidic | W7 | |
| acies, aciei | n.fem | line of battle | LRC | |
| acrimonia | n.fem | bitterness, harshness | W7 | |
| aculeatus | adj | having stings | W7 | |
| aculeus | n.masc | sting | W7 | |
| acumen, acuminis | n.neut | point | W7 | |
| acuō, acuere, acuī, acūtus | vb | to sharpen | W7 | |
| acus | n | chaff | GED | |
| acus | n.fem | needle | W7 | |
| agna | n.fem | ear of grain | GED | |
| exacerbo, exacerbare | vb | to exacerbate, make worse/more bitter | W7 | |
| mediocris | adj | not good but not bad; halfway up a mountain | W7 | |
| ocris | n.masc | stony mountain | W7 | |
| oxalis | n.masc | wood sorrel | W7 | |
| Vulgar Latin: | aculentum | n.neut | eglantine | W7 |
| Late Latin: | acicula, acucula | n.fem | ornamental pin | W7 |
| Medieval Latin: | acuta | adj.fem | sharp (fever) | W7 |
| paroxysmus | n.masc | paroxysm | W7 | |
| New Latin: | amphioxus | adj | sharp at both ends | W7 |
| oxalis | n.masc | wood sorrel | W7 | |
| Old French: | acrostiche | n | acrostic | AHD |
| agu | adj | sharp | W7 | |
| agüeté | n.fem | acuity | W7 | |
| aigre | adj | sour | W7 | |
| vinaigre | n.masc | vinegar | W7 | |
| Middle French: | acrimonie | n.fem | acrimony | W7 |
| acrostiche | n.masc | acrostic | W7 | |
| acuité | n.fem | acuity | W7 | |
| aguë | adj | acute (fever) | W7 | |
| aguille, aiguille | n.fem | needle | W7 | |
| aguillette, aiguillette | n.fem | small needle | W7 | |
| aiglent | n.masc | eglantine, sweetbrier | W7 | |
| médiocre | adj | not good but not bad | W7 | |
| paragon | n.masc | example, model | W7 | |
| French: | acétique | adj | acetic | W7 |
| acide | adj | sour, acidic | W7 | |
| acrobate | n.masc | acrobat | W7 | |
| acromégalie | n | acromegaly | AHD | |
| acrostiche | n.masc | acrostic | AHD | |
| aigre | adj | keen, sour | W7 | |
| oxygène | n.masc | oxygen | W7 | |
| oxyton | n.masc | a word accented on the last syllable | W7 | |
| paroxysme | n.masc | climax, paroxysm | W7 | |
| Old Italian: | paragonare | vb | to test on a touchstone | W7 |
| paragone | n.masc | touchstone | W7 | |
| Baltic | ||||
| Old Prussian: | ackons | n | ear of grain | GED |
| Lithuanian: | ašnìs | n | blade | GED |
| aštrùs | adj | sharp | GED | |
| Latvian: | akrims | n | stone | GED |
| Slavic | ||||
| Old Church Slavonic: | ostrъ | adj | sharp | GED |
| Hellenic | ||||
| Cyprian: | ἀκοσ-τή | n | barley | GED |
| Doric: | ἄχνα | n | awn, chaff | CDC |
| Homeric Greek: | ἀκαχμένος | adj | pointed, sharpened | GED |
| ἄκμων | n | stone, anvil | LRC | |
| Greek: | ἄκαινα | n | tip | GED |
| ἄκανθα | n.fem | thorn | LRC | |
| akē | n.fem | point | W7 | |
| ἀκ-μή | n | peak | GED/IEW | |
| akmē | n.fem | point | W7 | |
| aknē | n.fem | eruption on face | W7 | |
| ἀκόνη | n | whetstone | GED | |
| akonē | n.fem | whetstone | W7 | |
| ἄκονος | n | thistle | GED | |
| akrobatein | vb | to walk on tip-toe | AHD | |
| akrobatēs | n.masc | acrobat | AHD | |
| ἄκρον | n.neut | peak, extremity, mountain-top | LRC | |
| ἄκρος | adj | sharp | GED | |
| akrostichis | n.fem | acrostic | W7 | |
| akrōmion | n | acromion, outer end of scapula | AHD | |
| ἄκων | n | throwing spear | GED | |
| ἄχνη | n | awn, chaff | CDC | |
| ὄκρις | n | mountain peak | GED | |
| oxynein | vb | to provoke | W7 | |
| oxys | adj | sharp | W7 | |
| oxytonos | adj | oxytone | W7 | |
| parakonan | vb | to sharpen | W7 | |
| paroxynein | vb | to stimulate | W7 | |
| παροξυσμος | n.masc | paroxysm, irritation, provocation, exasperation | LS | |
| Anatolian | ||||
| Hittite: | aku- | n | stone | GED |
| hekur | n | (tip of) rock | GED | |
| Armenian | ||||
| Armenian: | asełn | n | needle | GED |
| Iranian | ||||
| Avestan: | ašnō | n | rock, stone for sling | GED |
| Indic | ||||
| Sanskrit: | aśánis | n | thunderbolt, tip of missile | GED |
| aśrá- | adj | sharp | GED | |
| áśriṣ | n | sharp edge | GED | |
| Tocharian | ||||
| Tocharian B: | āke | n | end | GED |
| Tocharian A: | āk | n | end | GED |
Key to Part-of-Speech/Grammatical feature abbreviations:
| Abbrev. | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| adj | = | adjective |
| arch | = | archaic |
| fem | = | feminine (gender) |
| gen | = | genitive (case) |
| masc | = | masculine (gender) |
| n | = | noun |
| neut | = | neuter (gender) |
| pfx | = | prefix |
| pl | = | plural (number) |
| prop | = | proper |
| str | = | strong (inflection) |
| vb | = | verb |
| wk | = | weak (inflection) |
Key to information Source codes (always with 'LRC' as editor):
| Code | Citation | |
|---|---|---|
| AHD | = | Calvert Watkins: The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots, 2nd ed. (2000) |
| ASD | = | Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller: An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary (1898) |
| CDC | = | W.D. Whitney and B.E. Smith: The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia (1889-1911) |
| CLD | = | Cassell's Latin Dictionary (1959, rev. 1968) |
| GED | = | Winfred P. Lehmann: A Gothic Etymological Dictionary (1986) |
| IEW | = | Julius Pokorny: Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (1959) |
| LRC | = | Linguistics Research Center, University of Texas, Austin |
| LS | = | Liddell and Scott: Greek-English Lexicon, 7th-9th ed's (1882-1940), rev. |
| W7 | = | Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary (1963) |
