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: kap- 'to cop, grab, grasp; have?'
Semantic Field(s): to Grasp, Seize, Take Hold of
Indo-European Reflexes:
| Family/Language | Reflex(es) | PoS/Gram. | Gloss | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic | ||||
| Old Irish: | cachtaim | vb | to take captive | RPN |
| Welsh: | caeth | n | slave | RPN |
| English | ||||
| Old English: | be-hōf | n.masc | use, purpose, behoof | GED |
| be-hōfian, bihōfian | vb.wk | to need, behoove | ASD/GED | |
| habban, hæfde, hæfd | vb.wk.III | to have, possess | LRC | |
| hæf | n | sea | LRC | |
| hæfen(e) | n.fem | haven | ASD/W7 | |
| hæft | n.masc | bond, fetter; captivity | ASD/RPN | |
| hæftan | vb.wk | to bind, arrest, confine | ASD/RPN | |
| hæft(e) | n.neut | haft | ASD | |
| hæften | n.fem | custody | ASD/RPN | |
| hæftnian | vb.wk | to take captive | ASD/RPN | |
| h(e)afoc, hafuc | n.masc | hawk | ASD/W7 | |
| hebban, hæbban | vb.str | to heave | ASD/W7 | |
| hefeld | n | heddle | W7 | |
| hefig, hefeg | adj | heavy | ASD/W7 | |
| Middle English: | acatour | n | cater | W7 |
| accepten | vb | to accept | W7 | |
| behaven | vb | to behave | W7 | |
| behof | n | behoof | W7 | |
| behoven | vb | to behoove | W7 | |
| cable | n | cable | W7 | |
| cacchen | vb | to catch | W7 | |
| caitif | adj | caitiff | W7 | |
| capcioun | n | caption | W7 | |
| capcious | adj | captious | W7 | |
| capias | n | capias | W7 | |
| captive | adj | captive | W7 | |
| catour | n | cater | W7 | |
| conceiven | vb | to conceive | W7 | |
| deceiven | vb | to deceive | W7 | |
| excepten | vb | to except | W7 | |
| haft | n | haft | W7 | |
| hauk | n | hawk | W7 | |
| haven | n | haven | W7 | |
| haven | vb | to have | W7 | |
| helde | n | heddle | W7 | |
| heven | vb | to heave | W7 | |
| hevy | adj | heavy | W7 | |
| occupien | vb | to occupy | W7 | |
| perceiven | vb | to perceive | W7 | |
| precept | n | precept | W7 | |
| receiven | vb | to receive | W7 | |
| recoveren | vb | to recover | W7 | |
| English: | accept | vb | to receive with consent | AHD/W7 |
| anticipate | vb | to give thought/treatment/discussion in advance | AHD/W7 | |
| behave | vb | to bear/comport (oneself) in particular way | AHD/W7 | |
| behoof | n | profit, advantage | AHD/W7 | |
| behoove | vb | to be proper/necessary/advantageous | AHD/W7 | |
| cable | n | strong rope, esp. 3+ inches in diameter | AHD/W7 | |
| caccia | n | (poem celebrating) chase | W2I | |
| cacciatore | n | hunter-style meal: meat stew with wine/herbs/onions etc. | AHD | |
| caitiff | adj | base, cowardly, despicable | AHD/W7 | |
| capable | adj | susceptible, able to do | AHD/W7 | |
| capacious | adj | able to contain large amount | AHD/W7 | |
| capias | n | legal writ/process commanding officer to arrest person | AHD/W7 | |
| capstan | n | vertical spindle-mounted windlass | AHD/W7 | |
| caption | n | part of legal instrument | AHD/W7 | |
| captious | adj | calculated to confuse/entrap/entangle in argument | AHD/W7 | |
| captivate | vb | to seize, capture | AHD/W7 | |
| captive | adj | taken/held as prisoner | AHD/W7 | |
| captor | n | one who has captured person/thing | AHD/W7 | |
| capture | n | catching/gaining control by force/guile/stratagem | AHD/W7 | |
| catch, caught | vb.str | to seize/capture after pursuit | AHD/W7 | |
| cater | n | buyer of provisions | AHD/W7 | |
| cater | vb.intrans | to provide food | AHD/W7 | |
| chase | n | pursuit, act of chasing | AHD | |
| chase | vb | to hunt, pursue, run after | TLL | |
| conceit | n | vain pride | TLL | |
| conceive | vb | to become pregnant | AHD/W7 | |
| concept | n | notion, abstract figuration | TLL | |
| conception | n | onset of pregnancy | TLL | |
| cop | n | copper | W7 | |
| cop | vb.trans | to catch, capture | AHD/W7 | |
| copepod | n | small freshwater/marine crustacean | AHD/W7 | |
| copper | n | policeman, one who cops | W7 | |
| deceive | vb | to ensnare | AHD/W7 | |
| except | prep | with exclusion/exception of | W7 | |
| except | vb | to exclude, take/leave out | AHD/W7 | |
| forceps | n | instrument for grasping/holding/exerting traction | AHD/W7 | |
| gaff | n | spear(head) for taking fish/turtles | AHD/W7 | |
| haff | n | lagoon | LRC | |
| haft | n | handle of tool/weapon | AHD/W7 | |
| have, had | vb.irr | to hold/possess as property | AHD/W7 | |
| haven | n | port, harbor | AHD/W7 | |
| hawk | n | diurnal bird of prey | AHD/W7 | |
| heave, hove | vb.str/wk | to lift, raise, elevate | AHD/W7 | |
| heavy | adj | having great weight | AHD/W7 | |
| heddle | n | set of parallel cords/wires in loom for guiding warp threads | AHD/W7 | |
| heft | n | bulk, weight, heaviness | AHD | |
| inception | n | beginning, commencement | AHD/W7 | |
| incipient | adj | commencing, beginning to be (apparent) | AHD/W7 | |
| intercept | vb.trans | to stop/interrupt course/progress | AHD/W7 | |
| municipal | adj | re: internal affairs of nation/other political unit | AHD/W7 | |
| nuncupative | adj | oral, not written | AHD/W7 | |
| occupy | vb.trans | to engage attention/energies of | AHD/W7 | |
| participate | vb | to partake | AHD/W7 | |
| perceive | vb.trans | to attain awareness/understanding of | AHD/W7 | |
| precept | n | command/principle intended as general rule | AHD/W7 | |
| receive | vb | to get, take/come into possession of | AHD/W7 | |
| receptor | n | (sensory stimulus) receiver | LRC | |
| recipe | n | prescription | AHD/W7 | |
| recover | vb | to regain, get back | AHD/W7 | |
| recuperate | vb | to regain, get back | AHD/W7 | |
| Sandheaver | prop.n | hobbit surname in Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings | LRC | |
| susceptible | adj | re: submitting to action/process/operation | AHD/W7 | |
| tactoreceptor | n | receptor responding to touch | AHD | |
| tangoreceptor | n | cutaneous receptor responding to touch/pressure | AHD | |
| West Germanic | ||||
| Old Frisian: | be-hōf | n.masc | use, purpose, behoof | GED |
| habba, hebba | vb | to have | GED | |
| heƀig | adj | heavy | ASD | |
| heva | vb | to heave | ASD | |
| Frisian: | kāpia | vb | to cop, take away | W7 |
| Dutch: | haven | n | haven | TLL |
| hebben | vb | to have | TLL | |
| kapen | vb | to cop, steal | W7 | |
| Old Saxon: | habbean | vb | to have | GED |
| havan, hab@h%an | n | haven; bowl | KSW | |
| hebbian | vb | to heave | ASD | |
| heftian | vb | to bind, fetter | ASD | |
| Middle Low German: | be-hōf | n.masc | use, purpose, behoof | GED |
| Old High German: | giheftan | vb | to fetter | RPN |
| haban, habēn, hān | vb | to have | GED | |
| habuh, hapuh, habich | n | hawk | ASD/W7 | |
| hafan | n | haven; dish | KDW | |
| haft | n.masc | captivity | ASD/RPN | |
| hebīc, heuig | adj | heavy | ASD/W7 | |
| heftan | vb | to seize, bind, arrest | ASD | |
| hefti | n | haft | ASD | |
| hevan, heffan, heuen | vb | to heave | ASD/W7 | |
| kouf | n | trade | W7 | |
| Middle High German: | be-huof | n.masc | purpose, business, behoof | GED |
| habene | n | haven | W7 | |
| German: | haben | vb | to have | LRC |
| Habicht | n | hawk | ASD | |
| Hafen | n.masc | haven | ASD | |
| Haff | n.neut | haff | TLL | |
| Haft | n.fem | imprisonment | ASD | |
| Haft | n.masc | clasp, rivet | ASD | |
| heben | vb | to heave | ASD | |
| Heft | n | haft | ASD | |
| heften | vb | to bind | ASD | |
| Kauf | n.masc | trade, purchase | LRC | |
| kaufen | vb | to buy, purchase, pay for | LRC | |
| North Germanic | ||||
| Old Norse: | hafa, hafað | vb | to have, keep, hold; accept | LRC |
| hafald | n | heddle | W7 | |
| hefja | vb | to heave | LRC | |
| hǫfn | n | haven | KNW | |
| Old Icelandic: | haft | n | bond, chain | RPN |
| hōf | n.neut | moderation | GED | |
| hœfa | vb | to hit, fit | GED | |
| Icelandic: | hafa | vb | to have | ASD |
| haft, hapt | n.neut | bond, chain | ASD | |
| haukr | n | hawk | ASD | |
| hefja | vb | to heave | ASD | |
| hepti | n.masc | haft; kilt | ASD | |
| höfn | n.fem | haven | ASD | |
| Danish: | hav | n | sea | TLL |
| have | vb | to have | TLL | |
| havn | n | haven | ASD | |
| Swedish: | hamn | n | haven | TLL |
| hav | n | sea | TLL | |
| hava | vb | to have | TLL | |
| East Germanic | ||||
| Gothic: | *dis-haban | vb.wk.III | to take, hold | GED |
| *ga-haban | vb.wk.III | to hold, maintain | GED | |
| haban | vb.wk.III | to have, hold | GED | |
| hafjan | vb | to heave | ASD | |
| *haftjan | vb | to hold fast | RPN | |
| Italic | ||||
| Latin: | accepto, acceptare | vb | to accept, receive | W7 |
| accipio, accipere, accepi, acceptus | vb | to receive | W7 | |
| anticipo, anticipare, anticipavi, anticipatus | vb | to anticipate | W7 | |
| capax, capacis | adj | capable, capacious | W7 | |
| capio, capere, cēpi, captum | vb | to take, seize | RPN | |
| captio, captionis | n.fem | seizure | W7 | |
| captiosus | adj | deceitful | W7 | |
| captivus | adj | captive | W7 | |
| capto, captare | vb.freq | to chase | W7 | |
| captura | n.fem | capture | W7 | |
| caupō, caupōnis | n.masc | huckster, innkeeper, petty tradesman | ELD | |
| caupōna | n.fem | inn, tavern, retail shop | ELD | |
| caupōnor, caupōnārī | vb.dep | to trade/traffic in | ELD | |
| -cipare, -cupare | vb.inf.sfx | to take, seize | W7 | |
| conceptus | n | conception | TLL | |
| concipio, concipere | vb | to conceive, take in | W7 | |
| decipio, decipere | vb | to catch, deceive | W7 | |
| excepto, exceptāre | vb | to take out | W7 | |
| excipio, excipere, excepi, exceptus | vb | to except, take out | W7 | |
| forceps | n.masc | pliers | W7 | |
| incipiens, incipientis | adj/vb.ptc | beginning | W7 | |
| incipio, incipere | vb | to begin | W7 | |
| intercipio, intercipere, intercepi, interceptus | vb | to intercept, catch in between | W7 | |
| municeps, municipis | n.masc | inhabitant of municipality; undertaker of duties | W7 | |
| municipalis | adj | of a municipality | W7 | |
| nuncupo, nuncupare, nuncupavi, nuncupatus | vb | to name | W7 | |
| occupo, occupare | vb | to seize, occupy | W7 | |
| particeps, participis | n.masc | participant | W7 | |
| participo, participare, participavi, participatus | vb | to share, involve, participate | W7 | |
| percipio, percipere | vb | to perceive, seize | W7 | |
| praeceptum | n.neut | precept | W7 | |
| praecipio, praecipere, praecepi, praeceptus | vb | to take beforehand, instruct | W7 | |
| recipio, recipere | vb | to receive | W7 | |
| recupero, recuperare, recuperavi, recuperatus | vb | to recuperate | W7 | |
| suscipio, suscipere, suscepi, susceptus | vb | to take up | W7 | |
| Vulgar Latin: | captio, captiāre | vb | to take, seize | W7 |
| Late Latin: | capabilis | adj | capable | W7 |
| captor | n.masc | someone who captures | W7 | |
| nuncupativus | adj | so-called | W7 | |
| susceptibilis | adj | susceptible | W7 | |
| Medieval Latin: | capulum | n.neut | lasso | W7 |
| nuncupativus | adj | nuncupative | W7 | |
| Portuguese: | excepto | prep | except | TLL |
| Spanish: | cazar | vb | to chase | TLL |
| excepto | prep | except | TLL | |
| Old French: | conceivre | vb | to conceive | W7 |
| deceivre | vb | to deceive, to disappoint | W7 | |
| perceivre | vb | to perceive | W7 | |
| Old North French: | acater | vb | to buy | W7 |
| cable | n.masc | strong rope | W7 | |
| cachier | vb | to hunt | W7 | |
| caitif | adj | vile, captive | W7 | |
| receivre | vb | to receive | W7 | |
| Anglo-French: | acatour | vb | to buy | W7 |
| Middle French: | accepter | vb | to accept | W7 |
| capable | adj | capable | W7 | |
| captieux | adj | captious | W7 | |
| capture | n.fem | rapt, capture | W7 | |
| excepter | vb | to except | W7 | |
| occuper | vb | to occupy | W7 | |
| recoverer | vb | to recover | W7 | |
| French: | captif | n | captive | TLL |
| chasser | vb | to chase | TLL | |
| chétif | adj | scrawny, wretched | TLL | |
| excepté | prep | except | TLL | |
| gaffe | n.fem | long pointed rod; clumsy action | W7 | |
| Provençal: | gaf | n.masc | rod, fishing spear | W7 |
| Italian: | caccia | n | chase, caccia | W2I |
| cacciatore | n | hunter; cacciatore | AHD | |
| eccetto | prep | except | TLL | |
| Baltic | ||||
| Latvian: | apkampt, apkampju, apkampu | vb | to embrace | LRC |
| Slavic | ||||
| Russian: | kobets | n | falcon | W7 |
| Albanian | ||||
| Albanian: | kam | vb | to have | IEW |
| Hellenic | ||||
| Greek: | kōpē | n.fem | oar | W7 |
Key to Part-of-Speech/Grammatical feature abbreviations:
| Abbrev. | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| III | = | class 3 |
| adj | = | adjective |
| dep | = | deponent |
| fem | = | feminine (gender) |
| freq | = | frequentative (aspect) |
| inf | = | infinitive |
| intrans | = | intransitive |
| irr | = | irregular |
| masc | = | masculine (gender) |
| n | = | noun |
| neut | = | neuter (gender) |
| prep | = | preposition |
| prop | = | proper |
| ptc | = | participle |
| 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) |
| ELD | = | Charlton T. Lewis: An Elementary Latin Dictionary (1999) |
| GED | = | Winfred P. Lehmann: A Gothic Etymological Dictionary (1986) |
| IEW | = | Julius Pokorny: Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (1959) |
| KDW | = | Gerhard Köbler: Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 4th ed. (1993) |
| KNW | = | Gerhard Köbler: Altnordisches Wörterbuch, 2nd ed. (2003) |
| KSW | = | Gerhard Köbler: Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed. (2000) |
| 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) |