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: 3. bhel-, bhlē- 'to grow, spread, swell, inflate'
Semantic Field(s): to Grow, to Stretch
Indo-European Reflexes:
| Family/Language | Reflex(es) | PoS/Gram. | Gloss | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic | ||||
| Old Irish: | ball | n.masc | penis, part of body | GED |
| English | ||||
| Old English: | ballice | adv | defiantly, bravely | GED |
| b(e)ald | adj | bold | ASD/GED | |
| b(e)aldor | n.str.masc | prince, master, lit. bolder | GED | |
| *beall | n | ball | AHD | |
| bealloc | n.fem | testicle | GED | |
| bealluc, beallucas | n | testicle(s) | RPN | |
| beldo, byldo | n | bield | W2I | |
| blǣd | n.masc | breath, blowing | GED | |
| blǣd(d)re | n.fem | bladder, blister, swelling | ASD/W7 | |
| blǣs | n.neut | blowing | GED | |
| *blǣsan | vb | to blow, blaze | CDC | |
| blǣst | n.str.masc | blast, breath, blowing | GED | |
| blǣstan | vb.wk | to blast, blow | GED | |
| blāwan | vb.wk | to blow | GED | |
| blōtan | vb.str | to worship (with sacrifice) | GED | |
| blōtere | n | sacrificer | GED | |
| bolla | n.wk.masc | bowl, dish, vase | GED | |
| bula | n | bull | W7 | |
| bulluc | n.str.neut | bull, bullock, breeding animal | GED | |
| byldan | vb.wk | to encourage | GED | |
| Middle English: | bal, ball(e) | n | ball | CDC/W7 |
| bald(e), bold(e) | adj | bold | CDC/MEV | |
| bale | n | bale | W7 | |
| baleine, bale(y)ne | n | whale, baleen | CDC/W7 | |
| ballock, balluk, balok | n | ballock | CDC/W7 | |
| baude | n | bawd | CDC | |
| bawde | n | bawdry | W7 | |
| beeld, belde | n | bield | W2I | |
| blad(d)er, bled(d)er, bladdre | n | bladder | CDC/W7 | |
| blasen | vb | to blaze | W7 | |
| blast, blest | n | blast | CDC/W7 | |
| blowen, blawen | vb | to blow | CDC/W7 | |
| bole | n | bole | W7 | |
| boll | n | boll | W7 | |
| bolle | n | bowl | W7 | |
| boulderston | n | boulder (stone) | CDC | |
| bule, bole | n | bull | MEV/W7 | |
| bulk | n | bulk | W7 | |
| flavor | n | flavor | W7 | |
| folie | n | folly | W7 | |
| fool | n | fool | W7 | |
| fullen | vb | to full | W7 | |
| English: | afflatus | n | inspiration, divine imparting of knowledge/power | AHD/W7 |
| Balder | prop.n | comely but ill-fated son of Odin | LRC | |
| Baldor | prop.n | Rohan prince in Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings | LRC | |
| bale | n | large bundle (of goods) | AHD/W7 | |
| baleen | n | whalebone | AHD/W7 | |
| ball | n | round(ish) body/mass | AHD/W7 | |
| ballock | n | testis | AHD/W7 | |
| balloon | n | nonporous air-filled bag made of light but tough material | AHD/W7 | |
| ballot | n | small ball used for secret vote | AHD/W7 | |
| ballottement | n | finger push on uterine wall to diagnose pregnancy | AHD/W7 | |
| bawd | n | pander | AHD/W7 | |
| bield | n.obs | boldness, courage, confidence | W2I | |
| bilberry | n | plant akin to blueberry | AHD/W7 | |
| biltong | n | jerked meat | AHD/W7 | |
| bladder | n | membranous sac in animal serving as liquid receptacle | AHD/W7 | |
| blase | adj | sophisticated, jaded re: pleasure/excitement | AHD/W7 | |
| blast | n | violent gust of air | AHD/W7 | |
| blather | n | nonsense, foolishness | LRC | |
| blather | vb.intrans | to talk foolishly | AHD/W7 | |
| blaze | vb.trans | to proclaim, make public/conspicuous | AHD/W7 | |
| blow, blew, blown | vb.str | to move (air) with speed/force | AHD/W7 | |
| bold | adj | intrepid, fearless before danger | AHD/W7 | |
| bole | n | base/trunk of tree | AHD/W7 | |
| boll | n | pod/capsule of plant | AHD/W7 | |
| bollix | vb.trans | to throw into disorder | AHD/W7 | |
| boulder | n | rounded detached much-worn rock mass | AHD/W7 | |
| bowl | n | concave/hemispherical vessel for holding liquid | AHD/W7 | |
| bulk | n | volume, magnitude | AHD/W7 | |
| bull | n | adult male bovine animal | AHD/W7 | |
| bullock | n | steer, castrated bull | AHD | |
| Bullroarer | prop.n | a.k.a. Bandobras Took in Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings | LRC | |
| conflate | vb | to fuse, meld, combine, bring together | AHD | |
| deflate | vb | to lose/remove air | AHD/CDC | |
| flabellum | n | body part/organ resembling fan | AHD/W7 | |
| flageolet | n | small flute resembling treble recorder | AHD/W7 | |
| flatulent | adj | marked/affected by intestinal/stomach gases | AHD/W7 | |
| flatus | n | gas generated in bowels/stomach | AHD/W7 | |
| flavescent | adj | yellowish, turning yellow | AHD | |
| flavin | n | yellow water-soluble pigment | AHD/W7 | |
| flavoprotein | n | enzyme containing flavin | AHD | |
| flavor | n | odor, fragrance | AHD/W7 | |
| follicle | n | small anatomical cavity/deep narrow-mouthed depression | AHD/W7 | |
| folly | n | lack of foresight/good sense/normal prudence | AHD/W7 | |
| fool | n | one lacking in judgment/prudence | AHD/W7 | |
| full | vb.trans | to shrink/thicken (woolen cloth) using moisture/heat/pressure | AHD/W7 | |
| inflate | vb | to swell/distend with air/gas | AHD/W7 | |
| insufflate | vb.trans | to blow on/into | AHD/W7 | |
| isinglass | n | whitish, semi-transparent pure gelatin | AHD/W7 | |
| ithyphallic | adj | re: phallus carried in ancient bacchic festival procession | AHD/W7 | |
| phallus | n | (symbol/representation of) male sexual organ | AHD/W7 | |
| phellem | n | nonliving water-resistant protective plant tissue | AHD | |
| phelloderm | n | tissue produced inwardly by cork cambium | AHD | |
| phellogen | n | secondary meristem initiating phellem/phelloderm in plant stem | AHD/W7 | |
| rocambole | n | European leek | AHD/W7 | |
| souffle | n | dish made of egg yolk or whipped egg whites | AHD/W7 | |
| Scots English: | blather, blether | n | bladder | CDC |
| blether | vb | to blather | CDC | |
| West Germanic | ||||
| Old Frisian: | balde | adv | quickly | ASD |
| blāu | adj | bluish | GED | |
| bolla | n.masc | bowl | ASD | |
| Old Dutch: | blæder, blære | n.fem | bladder | ASD |
| Middle Dutch: | bale | n | bale | ODE |
| bille | n | buttock | AHD | |
| blæder | n | bladder | CDC | |
| blæsen | vb | to blaze, sound trumpet | CDC | |
| blase | n | bladder | W7 | |
| blāsen | vb | to blow | W7 | |
| bolle | n | boll, round object | AHD | |
| huusblase | n | sturgeon bladder; isinglass | W7 | |
| Dutch: | baal | n | bale | ODE |
| bal | n | ball, round bundle | CDC | |
| blaar | n.fem | bladder | ASD | |
| blaas | n | bladder | TLL | |
| blazen | vb | to blaze, blow, breathe, sound trumpet | CDC | |
| bol | n.masc | bowl | ASD | |
| boud | adj | bold | CDC | |
| huizenblas | n | isinglass | W7 | |
| Afrikaans: | bil | n | buttock | W7 |
| biltong | n | biltong | W7 | |
| Old Flemish: | bale | n | ball/bale, round bundle | CDC |
| Flemish: | bal | n | ball | CDC |
| Old Saxon: | bald | adj | bold, merry | AHD/GED |
| beldian | vb.wk | to encourage | GED | |
| Middle Low German: | bal | n | ball | CDC |
| balde, bolde | adv | soon, quickly, at once | CDC | |
| bale | n | bale, round bundle | CDC | |
| blādere | n | bladder | CDC | |
| blāsen | vb.str | to blow, breathe, blaze | CDC/GED | |
| bulle | n.str.neut | bull, bullock, breeding animal | GED | |
| Low German: | ball | n | ball | CDC |
| bladere, bledder, blare | n | bladder | CDC | |
| Old High German: | bald | adj | bold | GED |
| balden | vb.wk | to encourage | GED | |
| baldī | n.wk.fem | bravery | GED | |
| balla, palla | n.fem | ball, bale | CDC/GED | |
| ballo | n.wk.masc | ball | GED | |
| blāen | vb | to blow | W7 | |
| blāhan | vb.str | to blow | CDC | |
| blā(j)an | vb.wk | to blow | ASD/GED | |
| blāo | adj | bluish | GED | |
| blāsa | n.fem | bubble | GED | |
| blāsan | vb.str | to blow | GED | |
| blāsen | vb | to blow | RPN | |
| blāst | n.str.masc | blast, breath | GED | |
| blāt | n.masc | blowing | GED | |
| blātara, blattara, blātra | n.fem | bladder | ASD/CDC/W7 | |
| blōzan, plo(az)zan | vb.str | to worship (with sacrifice) | ASD/GED | |
| bluostar | n.str.neut | offering | GED | |
| bluostrāri | n.str.masc | sacrificial priest | GED | |
| bolla | n | bowl | CDC | |
| bolla | n | blister | W7 | |
| hirni-polla | n | skull, lit. brain-bowl | ASD | |
| ploz-hūs | n.str.neut | temple | GED | |
| Middle High German: | bald | adj | bold | CDC |
| balle | n | ball | CDC | |
| blæjen | vb | to blow | ASD | |
| blæwen | vb | to blow | CDC | |
| blāsen | vb | to blow, breathe, blaze | CDC | |
| blast | n.masc | blast (of air/wind), blowing, breeze | ASD | |
| blāter(e), blatter | n.fem | bladder | ASD/CDC | |
| blōdern | vb | to blather, chatter | W7 | |
| bluoten | vb | to sacrifice | ASD | |
| bole | n | bole, thick plank | CDC | |
| bolle | n | bowl | CDC | |
| hirn-bolle | n | skull, lit. brain-bowl | ASD | |
| New High German: | bille | n.fem | penis | GED |
| bulle | n.fem | vulva | GED | |
| German: | bald | adv | soon, quickly | CDC |
| Ball | n.masc | ball | CDC | |
| Ballen | n.masc | bale, package | CDC | |
| bladdern | vb.dial | to blather | CDC | |
| blähen | vb | to blow | ASD | |
| Blase | n.fem | bladder, blister | TLL | |
| blasen | vb | to blow, breathe, blaze | CDC | |
| Blast | n | blast (of air/wind) | CDC | |
| Blatter | n.fem | bladder | ASD | |
| Bohle | n.fem | bole, thick plank | CDC | |
| Bolle | n | bulb | W7 | |
| Bowle | n.fem | (punch) bowl | CDC | |
| Bulle | n | bull | TLL | |
| Rockenbolle | n | European leek | W7 | |
| North Germanic | ||||
| Old Norse: | Baldr | n.masc | Balder: Norse god | W7 |
| ballr | adj | bold | ASD | |
| blaðra | vb | to blather, chatter | W7 | |
| bolli | n.masc | bowl | ASD | |
| bolr | n | bole | W7 | |
| bulki | n | cargo | W7 | |
| böllr | n | ball, testicle | W7 | |
| Old Icelandic: | baldinn | adj | brave, defiant | GED |
| Baldr | prop.n | Balder: Norse god | GED | |
| ballr | adj | bold | GED | |
| bella | vb.wk | to encourage | GED | |
| blār | adj | bluish | GED | |
| blāsa | vb.str | to blow | GED | |
| blāstr | n.str.masc | blast, breath | GED | |
| blōt | n.neut | sacrifice | GED | |
| blōta | vb.str | to worship (with sacrifice) | GED | |
| blōt-goð | n.str.masc | (heathen) priest | GED | |
| blǣr | n.masc | gust of wind | GED | |
| boli | n.str.neut | bull, bullock, breeding animal | GED | |
| bǫllr | n.str.masc | ball, testicle | GED | |
| her-baldr | n.str.masc | leader of army | GED | |
| Icelandic: | ballr | adj | bold | CDC |
| blaðr | n | blather | CDC | |
| blaðra | n.fem | bladder | ASD | |
| blaðra | vb | to blather | CDC | |
| blāsa | vb | to blow, breathe, blaze | CDC | |
| blāstr | n.masc | blast (of air/wind), breeze, blowing | ASD | |
| blōta | vb | to sacrifice | ASD | |
| bolli | n | bowl | CDC | |
| bolr, bulr | n | bole | CDC | |
| böllr | n | ball | CDC | |
| Norwegian: | böllr | n | ball | CDC |
| Old Danish: | blothe | vb | to sacrifice | ASD |
| bold | adj | bold | CDC | |
| Danish: | bal | n | billiard ball | CDC |
| balde | n | ball, testicle | CDC | |
| balle | n | bale | CDC | |
| blære | n | bladder | ASD | |
| blæse | vb | to blow, breathe, blaze | CDC | |
| blæst | n | blast (of air/wind) | CDC | |
| bold | n | ball | CDC | |
| bolle | n | bowl | CDC | |
| bul | n | bole, stump, log | CDC | |
| buldre | vb | to make loud noise | CDC | |
| bølle | n | whortleberry | W7 | |
| Old Swedish: | bol, bul | n | bole, body | CDC |
| Swedish: | bal | n | bale | CDC |
| blota | vb | to sacrifice | ASD | |
| blæddra, bläddra | n.fem | bladder | ASD/CDC | |
| blåsa | n | bladder | TLL | |
| blåsa | vb | to blow, breathe, blaze | CDC | |
| blåst | n | blast (of air/wind) | CDC | |
| boll | n | ball | CDC | |
| buller | n | noise | W7 | |
| bullersten | n | large stone in a stream | W7 | |
| bål | n | bowl | ASD | |
| bål | n | bole, body | CDC | |
| East Germanic | ||||
| Gothic: | balþaba | adv | boldly, frankly | GED |
| balþei | n | bield | CDC | |
| *balþs | adj | bold | ASD | |
| blēsan | vb | to blow, breathe, blaze | CDC | |
| *blostr | n | offering | GED | |
| blotan | vb.str.VII | to serve (God), honor (through sacrifice) | GED | |
| *uf-blesan | vb.str.VII | to boast, blaze, blow, puff up | CDC/GED | |
| Italic | ||||
| Latin: | afflo, afflāre, afflātus | vb | to blow on | W7 |
| balaena | n.fem | whale | W7 | |
| flabellum | n.neut | fan | W7 | |
| flātus | n.masc | wind, breath, blowing | GED | |
| flāvus | adj | golden yellow | GED | |
| flō, flāre | vb | to blow | RPN | |
| folliculus | n.masc | little bag; inflated ball; scrotum | RPN | |
| follis | n.masc | leather bag, bellows; scrotum | RPN | |
| fullō | n.masc | fuller | W7 | |
| inflo, inflare, inflatus | vb | to inflate, blow in | W7 | |
| phallus | n.masc | phallus | W7 | |
| sufflō, sufflāre | vb | to blow, puff up | W7 | |
| Vulgar Latin: | flabeolum | n.neut | flute | W7 |
| flator | n.masc | flavor | W7 | |
| fullo, fullāre | vb | to full | W7 | |
| Late Latin: | insufflo, insufflāre, insufflāvī, insufflātus | vb | to insufflate | W7 |
| Middle Latin: | bal(l)a | n | ball, bale, package, round bundle | CDC |
| palla, bala | n | ball, bale | CDC | |
| New Latin: | flabellum | n.neut | body organ resembling fan | W7 |
| Portuguese: | bala | n | ball, bale | CDC |
| balãa | n | balloon | CDC | |
| Spanish: | bala | n | ball, bale | CDC |
| balon | n | football; large bale | CDC | |
| balota | n | ballot | CDC | |
| Old French: | bald, baud, boud | adj | bold, gay, lively | CDC |
| balene | n | baleen | CDC | |
| bal(l)e | n | ball, bale | CDC | |
| flajol | n.masc | small flute | W7 | |
| flajolet | n.masc | small flute | W7 | |
| fol | adj | fool, crazy | W7 | |
| folie | n.fem | folly, craziness | W7 | |
| Middle French: | baloter | vb | to toss about | W7 |
| balotte | n.fem | little ball | W7 | |
| flaor | n.fem | flavor | W7 | |
| flatulent | adj | passing gas | W7 | |
| flavor | n.fem | flavor | W7 | |
| fouler | vb | to trample | W7 | |
| French: | baleine | n | baleen | CDC |
| balle | n | ball, bale | CDC | |
| ballon | n.masc | balloon; large football; rounded glass for fine alcohols | W7 | |
| bal(l)otte | n | ballot | CDC | |
| ballottement | n.masc | shaking, rolling motion | W7 | |
| ballotter | vb | to toss around | W7 | |
| blasé | adj | blase | W7 | |
| bol | n | bowl | CDC | |
| flageolet | n.masc | flageolet; haricot bean | W7 | |
| rocambolesque | adj | extravagant, re: story of extraordinary adventures | W7 | |
| souffle | n.masc | breath, light wind | W7 | |
| souffler, soufflē | vb | to blow, puff up | W7 | |
| Old Occitan: | bala | n | ball, bale | CDC |
| Italian: | balla | n.fem | bale | CDC |
| ballone | n.masc | large football | W7 | |
| ballotta | n.fem | ballot ball; boiled chestnut | CID/W7 | |
| balod | adj | bold, gay | CDC | |
| palla | n | ball | CDC | |
| pallone | n | balloon, football | CDC | |
| Baltic | ||||
| Lithuanian: | bulė | n | buttocks | GED |
| bulìs | n | buttocks | GED | |
| Hellenic | ||||
| Greek: | ithyphallikos | adj | with phallus erect | W7 |
| ithyphallos | n.masc | erect phallus | W7 | |
| φάλης | n | penis | GED | |
| phallaina | n.fem | whale, sea monster | W7 | |
| φαλλός | n | penis | GED | |
| phellos | n.masc | cork | W7 | |
| φληνέω | vb | to be talkative | GED | |
| Armenian | ||||
| Armenian: | bl-roy | n.gen | hill | GED |
| bolor | adj | round | GED | |
| Indic | ||||
| Sanskrit: | bulis | n.fem | vulva, buttocks | GED |
Key to Part-of-Speech/Grammatical feature abbreviations:
| Abbrev. | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| VII | = | class 7 |
| adj | = | adjective |
| adv | = | adverb(ial) |
| dial | = | dialectal |
| fem | = | feminine (gender) |
| gen | = | genitive (case) |
| intrans | = | intransitive |
| masc | = | masculine (gender) |
| n | = | noun |
| neut | = | neuter (gender) |
| obs | = | obsolete |
| prop | = | proper |
| str | = | strong (inflection) |
| trans | = | transitive |
| 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) |
| CID | = | Cassell's Italian Dictionary (1958) |
| GED | = | Winfred P. Lehmann: A Gothic Etymological Dictionary (1986) |
| LRC | = | Linguistics Research Center, University of Texas, Austin |
| MEV | = | J.R.R. Tolkien: A Middle English Vocabulary (1922) |
| ODE | = | C.T. Onions: The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology (1966) |
| RPN | = | Allan R. Bomhard: Reconstructing Proto-Nostratic (2002) |
| TLL | = | Frederick Bodmer: The Loom of Language (1944) |
| W2I | = | Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language, 2nd ed. (1959) |
| W7 | = | Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary (1963) |