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. u̯(e)id- 'to vide, see, wit, know'
Semantic Field(s): to See, to Know
Indo-European Reflexes:
| Family/Language | Reflex(es) | PoS/Gram. | Gloss | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic | ||||
| Old Irish: | druid | n | druid, lit. tree-seer | GED |
| find | adj | white, clearly visible | AHD | |
| Welsh: | gwyddom | vb.1.pl | we know | LRC |
| gwyn(n) | adj | white | AHD | |
| Gaulish: | druides | adj | knowing certainly | GED |
| druides | n.masc | druid, lit. tree-seer | W7 | |
| English | ||||
| Old English: | ætwītan | vb | to reproach | ASD/W7 |
| and-wīs | adj | expert, skillful | ASD | |
| gewis(s) | adj | sure, certain, knowing | ASD/W7 | |
| gewītan, gewāt, gewiton, gewiten | vb.str.I | to go, depart | LRC | |
| sām-wīs | adj | dull, simple, foolish, lit. half-wise | ASD | |
| wīs | adj | wise | W7 | |
| wīsdōm | n.masc | wisdom | W7 | |
| wīse | n.fem | wise, state, condition | W7 | |
| wita | n.masc | sage, elder, counsellor, wise man | ASD | |
| witan, wāt, witon, wiste | vb.ptpr.I | to wit, observe, be aware | LRC | |
| wītan, wāt, witon, witen | vb.str.I | to go, depart | W7 | |
| wīte | n.neut | pain, torment, punishment | W7 | |
| wītega | n.masc | wizard, prophet, soothsayer | W7 | |
| Middle English: | advice | n | advice | W7 |
| a(d)visen | vb | to advise | AHD | |
| atwiten | vb | to reproach, upbraid | W7 | |
| avys | n | advice, opinion, deliberation | MEV | |
| envie | n | envy | W7 | |
| evident | adj | evident | W7 | |
| guide | n | guide | W7 | |
| guise | n | guise | W7 | |
| idol | n | idol | W7 | |
| iwis | adv | iwis | W7 | |
| providen | vb | to provide | W7 | |
| prudent | adj | prudent | W7 | |
| purveien | vb | to purvey | W7 | |
| purveu | n | purview | W7 | |
| storie | n | story | W7 | |
| surveyen | vb | to survey | W7 | |
| vewe | n | view | W7 | |
| visage | n | visage | W7 | |
| viser | n | visor, mask | W7 | |
| vision | n | vision | W7 | |
| visiten | vb | to visit | W7 | |
| wis, wys | adj | wise | W7 | |
| wisdom | n | wisdom | W7 | |
| wise | n | wise | W7 | |
| wit | n | wit | W7 | |
| wite | n | wite | W7 | |
| witen | vb | to wit | W7 | |
| wot | vb.sg.1/3 | (I/he) wot(s), know(s) | W7 | |
| woten | vb | to wot | W7 | |
| wysard | n | wizard | W7 | |
| English: | advice | n | counsel, recommendation re: decision/course of conduct | AHD/W7 |
| advise | vb | to counsel, give advice to | AHD/W7 | |
| Andwise | prop.n | hobbit in Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings | LRC | |
| belvedere | n | structure designed to command view | AHD/W7 | |
| black-a-vised | adj | dark-complexioned | AHD/W7 | |
| clairvoyant | adj | discerning, unusually perceptive | AHD/W7 | |
| colcannon | n | boiled/mashed potatos/cabbage | AHD | |
| druid | n | Celtic priest: seer, wizard, magician | AHD/W7 | |
| eidetic | adj | re: visual images with almost photographic accuracy | AHD/W7 | |
| eidolon | n | phantom, unsubstantial image | AHD/W7 | |
| envy | n | malice | AHD/W7 | |
| evident | adj | clear to vision/understanding | AHD/W7 | |
| guide | n | one who leads/directs another | AHD/W7 | |
| guidon | n | small flag | AHD | |
| guise | n | costume, form/style of dress | AHD/W7 | |
| guy | n | rope/chain/rod attached as brace/guide | AHD/W7 | |
| hadal | adj | re: ocean below 6 km | AHD/W9 | |
| Hades | prop.n | god of underworld, ruler of dead (Greek mythology) | LRC | |
| history | n | tale, story | AHD/W7 | |
| idea | n | real pattern of which physical things are imperfect representations | AHD/W7 | |
| ideo- | pfx | idea | AHD/W7 | |
| idocrase | n | vesuvianite: complex silicate mineral | AHD/W7 | |
| idol | n | symbol/representation of deity used as object of worship | AHD/W7 | |
| idyll | n | simple descriptive literary work re: peace/contentment | AHD/W7 | |
| improvise | vb | to extemporize, sing/recite/compose on spur of moment | AHD/W7 | |
| interview | n | formal consultation/evaluation | AHD/W7 | |
| invidious | adj | tending to cause envy/discontent/animosity | AHD/W7 | |
| iwis | adv | surely, certainly | AHD/W7 | |
| kaleidoscope | n | instrument for viewing patterns in bits of colored glass | AHD/W7 | |
| penguin | n | flightless aquatic bird | AHD | |
| polyhistor | n | polymath | AHD/W7 | |
| previse | vb.trans | to foresee | AHD/W7 | |
| provide | vb | to take precautionary measures | AHD/W7 | |
| prudent | adj | wise, foresighted | AHD/W7 | |
| purvey | vb.trans | to supply (e.g. provisions) | AHD/W7 | |
| purview | n | scope/limit/purpose/body of statute | AHD/W7 | |
| review | n | revision | AHD/W7 | |
| revise | vb.trans | to review in order to correct/improve | AHD/W7 | |
| Samwise | prop.n | simple hobbit in Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings | LRC | |
| story | n | tale, history | AHD/W7 | |
| supervise | vb.trans | to oversee, superintend | AHD/W7 | |
| survey | vb | to appraise, examine re: value/condition/situation | AHD/W7 | |
| twit | vb.trans | to rally, subject to light reproach/ridicule | AHD/W7 | |
| unwitting | adj | unaware, inadvertent | AHD | |
| Veda | prop.n | ancient scripture written in Sanskrit (Hinduism) | LRC | |
| vide | vb | to see, view | AHD/W7 | |
| view | n | inspection, act of seeing/examining | AHD/W7 | |
| visa | n | passport endorsement | AHD/W7 | |
| visage | n | face/countenance/appearance of person | AHD/W7 | |
| vision | n | something seen in dream/trance/ecstasy | AHD/W7 | |
| visit | vb | to go see | AHD/W7 | |
| visor | n | front piece of helmet | AHD/W7 | |
| vista | n | prospect, view through/along opening/avenue | AHD/W7 | |
| voyeur | n | one obtaining sexual gratification by viewing sex acts/organs | AHD/W7 | |
| wisdom | n | knowledge, accumulated philosophic/scientific learning | AHD/W7 | |
| Wise | prop.n | Eldar wizard(s) in Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings | LRC | |
| wise | adj | sage, having wisdom | AHD/W7 | |
| wise | n | way, manner | AHD/W7 | |
| wiseacre | n | smart aleck, one making pretensions to wisdom | AHD/W7 | |
| wit | n | mind, memory | AHD/W7 | |
| wit | vb | to know, learn | AHD/W7 | |
| wite | n | blame, responsibility | AHD/W7 | |
| witenagemot | n | council of the wise | AHD/W7 | |
| witness | n | observer | TLL | |
| witness | vb | to see, observe | LRC | |
| wizard | n | sage, wise man; sorcerer | W7 | |
| British English: | wot | vb | to wit | AHD/W7 |
| West Germanic | ||||
| Old Frisian: | wīs | n.fem | wise, mode, fashion | ASD |
| wis | adj | wise, discreet, judicious | ASD | |
| wīs-dō | n.masc | wisdom, discretion | ASD | |
| wita | vb | to wit, be aware, have knowledge | ASD | |
| wīte | n.neut | pain, torment, punishment | ASD | |
| Middle Dutch: | wijs-segger | n | wizard, soothsayer | W7 |
| Dutch: | gei | n | brail | W7 |
| Old Saxon: | wis | adj | wise, discreet, judicious | ASD |
| wīsa | n.fem | wise, mode, fashion | ASD | |
| wīs-dō | n.masc | wisdom, discretion | ASD | |
| witan | vb | to wit, be aware, have knowledge | ASD | |
| wīti | n.neut | torment, punishment | ASD | |
| Old High German: | giwis | adj | sure, certain | ASD |
| giwisso | adv | surely, certainly | W7 | |
| wis | adj | wise, discreet, judicious | ASD | |
| wīs(a) | n.fem | wise, mode, fashion | ASD/W7 | |
| wīs-tuom | n.masc | wisdom, discretion | ASD | |
| wīzan | vb | to punish | W7 | |
| wīzi | n.neut | trial, torment, punishment | ASD/W7 | |
| wīz(z)ago | n.masc | wizard, prophet, soothsayer | ASD/W7 | |
| wizzan | vb | to wit, be aware, have knowledge | ASD/W7 | |
| wizzi | n | wisdom, knowledge | W7 | |
| German: | Druide | n.masc | druid | LRC |
| gewiß | adj | sure, certain | ASD | |
| Wissen | n.neut | knowledge | LRC | |
| wissen | vb | to wit | LRC | |
| North Germanic | ||||
| Old Norse: | veita, veitt | vb | to grant, give; help; pay, yield | LRC |
| vita, vissi | vb | to wit, understand, be aware of | LRC | |
| víss | adj | wise, sure, certain | LRC | |
| víti | n.neut | penalty, punishment, liability | LRC | |
| Icelandic: | vita | vb | to wit, be aware, have knowledge | ASD |
| vísa | n.fem | wise; stanza | ASD | |
| vís-dómr | n.masc | wisdom, discretion | ASD | |
| víss | adj | wise, discreet, judicious | ASD | |
| víti | n.neut | fine, punishment | ASD | |
| Swedish: | vis | adj | wise | TLL |
| vitna | vb | to witness | TLL | |
| East Germanic | ||||
| Gothic: | inweitan | vb.str.I | to worship | LRC |
| weis | adj | wise, discreet, judicious | ASD | |
| *witan | vb.ptpr | to wit, be aware, have knowledge | ASD | |
| witan | vb.wk.III | to observe, keep watch | LRC | |
| Italic | ||||
| Latin: | evidens, evidentis | adj/vb.ptc | evident, obvious | W7 |
| historia | n.fem | history, tale, inquiry | W7 | |
| idea | n.fem | Platonian ideal | W7 | |
| idyllium | n.neut | idyll | W7 | |
| improvisus | adj | unforeseen | W7 | |
| invideo, invidēre | vb | to envy, look askance at | W7 | |
| invidia | n.fem | envy, jealousy | W7 | |
| invidiosus | adj | envious, invidious | W7 | |
| invidus | adj | envious, looking with the evil eye | W7 | |
| praevisus | vb.ptc | foreseen, expected | W7 | |
| providens, providentis | adj/vb.ptc | provident, foreseeing | W7 | |
| provideo, providēre | vb | to provide, see ahead | W7 | |
| provisus | vb.ptc | foreseen | W7 | |
| prudens, prudentis | adj | prudent | W7 | |
| revideo, revidēre | vb | to see again | W7 | |
| reviso, revisere | vb | to look at again | W7 | |
| revisus | vb.ptc | looked at again | W7 | |
| videns, videntis | adj/vb.ptc | seeing | W7 | |
| videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum | vb | to see, know | LRC | |
| visa | n.neut.pl | things seen | W7 | |
| visio, visionis | n.fem | sight | W7 | |
| visito, visitāre | vb | to visit | W7 | |
| viso, visāre | vb | to go see | W7 | |
| visus | vb.ptc | seen | W7 | |
| Late Latin: | idolum | n.neut | idol | W7 |
| Medieval Latin: | supervideo, supervidēre | vb | to supervise | W7 |
| Old French: | avis | n.masc | advice, opinion, deliberation | W7 |
| aviser | vb | to advise | W7 | |
| envie | n.fem | lust, envy | W7 | |
| estorie | n.fem | story | W7 | |
| guier | vb | to guide | AHD | |
| guise | n | guise, manner | AHD | |
| idole | n.fem | idol | W7 | |
| veeir | vb | to see | W7 | |
| vis | n.masc | face | W7 | |
| visage | n.masc | face | W7 | |
| visiere | n.fem | visor | W7 | |
| vision | n.fem | sight | W7 | |
| visiter | vb | to visit | W7 | |
| voir | vb | to see | W7 | |
| vue | n.fem | sight | W7 | |
| Anglo-French: | viser | n.masc | face | W7 |
| Middle French: | entrevue | n.fem | interview | W7 |
| evident | adj | evident, obvious | W7 | |
| guide | n.masc | guide | W7 | |
| guidon | n | guidon | W7 | |
| porveeir | vb | to provide | W7 | |
| prudent | adj | prudent | W7 | |
| revoir | vb | to look over | W7 | |
| revue | n.fem | act of looking over | W7 | |
| surveeir | vb | to look over | W7 | |
| veeir | vb | to see | W7 | |
| veue | n.fem | sight | W7 | |
| voir | vb | to see | W7 | |
| voyeur | n.masc | voyeur, one who sees | W7 | |
| vue | n.fem | sight | W7 | |
| French: | clairvoyant | adj | one who foresees | W7 |
| hadal | adj | hadal | W9 | |
| improviser | vb | to improvise | W7 | |
| réviser | vb | to look at again | W7 | |
| visa | n.masc | visa | W7 | |
| voir | vb | to see | W7 | |
| voyant | vb.ptc | seeing, who sees | W7 | |
| voyeur | n.masc | one who spies on other's private life | W7 | |
| Old Provençal: | guidar | vb | to guide | AHD |
| Italian: | belvedere | n.masc | turret, terrace, belvedere | CID/W7 |
| improvvisare | vb | to improvise | W7 | |
| improvviso | adj | sudden | W7 | |
| vedere | vb | to see | W7 | |
| vista | n.fem | sight, view | W7 | |
| visto | vb.ptc | seen | W7 | |
| Baltic | ||||
| Old Prussian: | waidimai | vb | to know | LRC |
| Lithuanian: | išvýsti, išvýsta, išvýdo | vb | to see, witness | LRC |
| Slavic | ||||
| Old Church Slavonic: | viděti, viždǫ, vidiši | vb | to see | LRC |
| věděti, věmь, věsi | vb | to see, know | LRC | |
| Hellenic | ||||
| Homeric Greek: | εἴδος | n.neut | form, figure, appearance | W7 |
| εἴδωλον | n.neut | ghost, phantom | W7 | |
| Greek: | Αἵδης | prop.n.masc | Hades | LRC |
| εἰδητικός | adj | eidetic, re: form/appearance | W7 | |
| εἰδύλλιον | n.neut.dim | idyll, idyllic poem | W7 | |
| *εἴδω | vb | to see | LRC | |
| ἰδέα | n.fem | form, nature, idea | W7 | |
| ἰδού | adv | behold | LRC | |
| ἱστορία | n.fem | history, inquiry | LRC | |
| ἵστωρ, ἴστωρ | adj | knowing, learned | LS | |
| ἵστωρ, ἴστωρ | n.masc/fem | judge, witness; inquirer, historian | LS | |
| οἶδα | vb | to know | LRC | |
| πολυ-ΐστωρ | adj | very learned | LS | |
| Armenian | ||||
| Classical Armenian: | gitem | vb | to know | LRC |
| gtanem | vb | to find, get, obtain | LRC | |
| Iranian | ||||
| Avestan: | vaēðe | vb | to know | LRC |
| Indic | ||||
| Sanskrit: | veda | n | wisdom, knowledge | W7 |
Key to Part-of-Speech/Grammatical feature abbreviations:
| Abbrev. | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | = | 1st person |
| 3 | = | 3rd person |
| I | = | class 1 |
| III | = | class 3 |
| adj | = | adjective |
| adv | = | adverb(ial) |
| dim | = | diminutive |
| fem | = | feminine (gender) |
| masc | = | masculine (gender) |
| n | = | noun |
| neut | = | neuter (gender) |
| pfx | = | prefix |
| pl | = | plural (number) |
| prop | = | proper |
| ptc | = | participle |
| ptpr | = | preterite-present (verb) |
| sg | = | singular (number) |
| 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) |
| CID | = | Cassell's Italian Dictionary (1958) |
| GED | = | Winfred P. Lehmann: A Gothic Etymological Dictionary (1986) |
| LRC | = | Linguistics Research Center, University of Texas, Austin |
| LS | = | Liddell and Scott: Greek-English Lexicon, 7th-9th ed's (1882-1940), rev. |
| MEV | = | J.R.R. Tolkien: A Middle English Vocabulary (1922) |
| TLL | = | Frederick Bodmer: The Loom of Language (1944) |
| W7 | = | Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary (1963) |
| W9 | = | Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (1983) |