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: gen- 'to pinch, press together, etc.'
Semantic Field(s): to Press
Indo-European Reflexes:
| Family/Language | Reflex(es) | PoS/Gram. | Gloss | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic | ||||
| Irish: | cnap | n | knop, top | ASD |
| Gaelic: | cna(i)p | n.masc | knop, top | ASD |
| Welsh: | cnap | n | knop, top | ASD |
| English | ||||
| Old English: | cnæp(p), cnep | n.masc | knap, knop | ASD/W7 |
| cnedan | vb | to knead | W7 | |
| cnīf | n.masc | knife | ASD/W7 | |
| cnocian | vb | to knock | W7 | |
| cnoll | n.masc | knoll | ASD/W7 | |
| -cnoppa | sfx | knob | W7 | |
| cnotta | n.masc | knot | ASD/W7 | |
| cnyccean | vb | to tie, bundle | W2I | |
| cnyll(s)an | vb | to knell | ASD/W7 | |
| cnys(s)an, cnysede, cnysed | vb.wk.I | to beat, strike | ASD | |
| cnyttan, cnittan | vb.wk | to knit, tie with knot | ASD/W7 | |
| cnyttels | n | string, sinew | RPN | |
| Middle English: | knap | n | knap, summit | W7 |
| knappen | vb | to hit, strike | W7 | |
| knarre | n | knar | AHD | |
| kneden | vb | to knead | W7 | |
| knellen | vb | to knell | W7 | |
| knif | n | knife | W7 | |
| knitten | vb | to knit | W7 | |
| knobbe | n | knob | W7 | |
| knokel | n | knuckle | W7 | |
| knoken | vb | to knock | W7 | |
| knol | n | knoll | W7 | |
| knollen | vb | to knoll, resound | W7 | |
| knop | n | knop | W7 | |
| knopwed | n | knapweed | W7 | |
| knorre | n | knur | W7 | |
| knot | n | knot | W7 | |
| knucche, knytche | n | knitch | IEW/W2I | |
| wed | n | weed | W7 | |
| English: | gnarl | n | hard tree proterbance with twisted grain | W7 |
| gnarl | vb | to deform by twisting | AHD/W7 | |
| gnocchi | n.pl | flour/potato/semolina dumplings | AHD | |
| knackwurst | n | short thick seasoned sausage | AHD | |
| knap | n | summit, crest of hill | AHD/W7 | |
| knap | vb.trans | to rap, knock | AHD/W7 | |
| knapsack | n | canvas/leather bag/case strapped on back | AHD/W7 | |
| knapweed | n | weedy composite plant | AHD/W7 | |
| kna(u)r | n | knot/burl in tree/wood | AHD | |
| knead | vb.trans | to work/press into mass with hands | AHD/W7 | |
| knell | vb | to ring/toll, esp. for death/funeral/disaster | AHD/W7 | |
| knife, knives | n.str | cutting tool(s): sharp blade(s) attached to handle(s) | AHD/W7 | |
| knit, knit | vb.wk | to tie together, esp. using needles | AHD/W7 | |
| knitch | n.obs | fagot, bundle | IEW/W2I | |
| knob | n | lump, rounded protuberance | AHD/W7 | |
| knobkerrie | n | short club with knobbed end | AHD | |
| knock | vb | to strike with sharp blow | AHD/W7 | |
| knoll | n | mound, small round hill | AHD/W7 | |
| knoll | vb | to knell | AHD/W7 | |
| knop | n | ornamental knob | AHD/W7 | |
| knot | n | thread/string/rope tied to form lump/knob | AHD/W7 | |
| knout | n | whip for flogging criminals | AHD/W7 | |
| knuckle | n | rounded prominence formed by ends of adjacent bones at joint | AHD/W7 | |
| knur | n | gnarl, hard excrescence | AHD/W7 | |
| knurl | n | knot, knob, small protuberance | AHD | |
| Morgul-knife | prop.n | Nazgûl's knife in Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings | LRC | |
| Nob | prop.n | Bree hobbit in Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings | LRC | |
| nub | n | knob, protuberance, small lump | AHD | |
| quenelle | n | forcemeat ball/dumpling: seasoned paste of chopped veal/chicken/etc. | AHD/CDC | |
| West Germanic | ||||
| Old Frisian: | knap, knop | n.masc | knop, top | ASD |
| Frisian: | kniesen | vb | to bruise | ASD |
| knotte | n | knot | ASD | |
| knyf | n | knife | ASD | |
| Middle Dutch: | cnoppe | n | knob | AHD |
| knorre | n | knar | AHD | |
| Dutch: | knappen | vb | to knap, eat | W7 |
| knapzak | n | knapsack | W7 | |
| knēden | vb | to knead | ASD | |
| kneuzen | vb | to bruise | ASD | |
| knol | n.masc | knoll | ASD | |
| knoop | n | button | TLL | |
| knop | n.masc | knop, top | ASD | |
| knot | n.fem | knot | ASD | |
| knotten | vb | to tie in a knot | ASD | |
| Afrikaans: | knopkierie | n | knobkerrie | AHD |
| Middle Low German: | knīf | n | knife | W7 |
| knorre | n | knar | AHD | |
| knubbe | n | knob | W7 | |
| knutten | vb | to tie | RPN | |
| Low German: | knappsack | n | knapsack | W7 |
| Old High German: | knetan | vb | to knead | W7 |
| knoph | n.masc | knop, top | ASD | |
| knoto, knodo | n.masc | knot | ASD/W7 | |
| knusjan, kimssan | vb | to beat, shake | ASD | |
| Middle High German: | erknellen | vb | to toll | W7 |
| knëten | vb | to knead | ASD | |
| knillen, knüllen | vb | to beat | ASD | |
| knoche | n | bone | IEW | |
| knochen | vb | to press | W7 | |
| knöckel | n | knuckle | W7 | |
| knode, knote | n.masc | knot | ASD | |
| knolle | n | knoll | ASD | |
| knopf | n.masc | knop, top | ASD | |
| knüs(s)en | vb | to push, beat | ASD | |
| New High German: | knicken | vb | to fold, crack, snap | RPN |
| knütten | vb.dial | to knit | RPN | |
| German: | knacken | vb | to crack | AHD |
| Knackwurst | n | knackwurst | AHD | |
| knallen, knellen | vb | to knell | ASD | |
| Kneif | n.masc | knife | ASD | |
| kneten | vb | to knead | ASD | |
| Knöchel | n.masc | knuckle | LRC | |
| Knochen | n.masc | bone | LRC | |
| Knolle(n) | n.masc | knoll | ASD | |
| Knopf | n.masc | knop, button | ASD | |
| knoten, knöten | vb | to tie in a knot | ASD | |
| Knote(n) | n.masc | knot | ASD | |
| knüssen | vb | to push, beat | ASD | |
| Nußknacker | n.masc | nutcracker | LRC | |
| North Germanic | ||||
| Old Norse: | knifr | n | knife | LRC |
| knollr | n | mountaintop | W7 | |
| knúta | n.fem | knuckle-bone | LRC | |
| knūtr | n | knot | W7 | |
| Old Icelandic: | kneikja | vb | to bend backwards with force | RPN |
| knytja | vb | to knit, tie together | RPN | |
| knýta | vb | to knit, tie, bind | RPN | |
| Icelandic: | knappr | n.masc | knop, top | ASD |
| knifr | n.masc | knife | ASD | |
| knoða | vb | to knead | ASD | |
| knosa | vb | to bruise, beat | ASD | |
| knūtr | n.masc | knot | ASD | |
| knylla | vb | to beat with a blunt weapon | ASD | |
| knytja | vb | to knit together | ASD | |
| Danish: | knalde | vb | to knell | ASD |
| knap | n.masc/fem | knop, top | ASD | |
| knede | vb | to knead | ASD | |
| kniv | n.masc/fem | knife | ASD | |
| knokkel | n | bone, knuckle | TLL | |
| knold | n.masc/fem | knoll | ASD | |
| knude | n.masc/fem | knot | ASD | |
| knuse | vb | to bruise | ASD | |
| knytte | vb | to knit | ASD | |
| Swedish: | knalla | vb | to make a noise | ASD |
| knapp | n.masc | knop, top | ASD | |
| kneka | vb | to be bent | RPN | |
| knif | n.masc | knife | ASD | |
| knusa | vb | to bruise | ASD | |
| knut | n.masc | knot | ASD | |
| knyta | vb | to knit, tie | ASD | |
| knöl | n.masc | knoll | ASD | |
| knåda | vb | to knead | ASD | |
| East Germanic | ||||
| Gothic: | knussyan | vb | to press down | ASD |
| Baltic | ||||
| Lithuanian: | gniusti | vb | to press, contract | LD/W7 |
| Hellenic | ||||
| Greek: | γναμπτός | adj | bent, curved | RPN |
| γνάμπτω | vb | to bend | RPN | |
Key to Part-of-Speech/Grammatical feature abbreviations:
| Abbrev. | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| I | = | class 1 |
| adj | = | adjective |
| dial | = | dialectal |
| fem | = | feminine (gender) |
| masc | = | masculine (gender) |
| n | = | noun |
| obs | = | obsolete |
| pl | = | plural (number) |
| prop | = | proper |
| sfx | = | suffix |
| 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) |
| IEW | = | Julius Pokorny: Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (1959) |
| LD | = | Bronius Piesarskas and Bronius Svecevicius: Lithuanian Dictionary (1994) |
| LRC | = | Linguistics Research Center, University of Texas, Austin |
| 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) |
