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. u̯erg̑-, u̯reg̑- 'to do, work, be effective'
Semantic Field(s): to Do, Make
Indo-European Reflexes:
| Family/Language | Reflex(es) | PoS/Gram. | Gloss | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | ||||
| Old English: | be-weorcean, bi-wyrcan | vb | to make, build, cover, adorn, work in | ASD |
| bewyrcan, beworhte, beworht | vb.wk.I | to make, build, cover, adorn, work in | LRC | |
| gew(e)orc, gewere | n.neut | work; fort(ress) | ASD/W7 | |
| gewyrc(e)an, geworhte, geworht | vb.wk.I | to achieve, perform, accomplish | ASD | |
| handgeweorc | n.neut | handiwork | W7 | |
| organa, organe | n.fem | organ, musical instrument | ASD/W7 | |
| we(o)rc | n.neut | work, deed | LRC | |
| wryhta, wyrhta | n.masc | wright, worker, maker | W7 | |
| wyrcan, worhte, worht | vb.wk.I | to work, labor | ASD | |
| Middle English: | bulwerke | n | bulwark | W7 |
| handiwerk | n | handiwork | W7 | |
| irken | vb | to irk | W7 | |
| litargie | n | lethargy | W7 | |
| organ | n | organ | W7 | |
| surgerie | n | surgery | W7 | |
| werk | n | work | W7 | |
| werken | vb | to work | W7 | |
| work | n | work | W7 | |
| worken | vb | to work | W7 | |
| wright | n | wright | W7 | |
| wrought | adj | wrought | W7 | |
| English: | adrenergic | adj | liberating/activated by adrenaline | AHD/W7 |
| allergy | n | altered bodily reactivity (to antigens) | AHD/W7 | |
| argon | n | colorless odorless inert gas | AHD/W7 | |
| boulevard | n | broad landscaped thoroughfare | AHD/W7 | |
| bulwark | n | rampart, solid wall-like structure | AHD/W7 | |
| cholinergic | adj | liberating/activated by acetycholine | AHD/W7 | |
| demiurge | n | subordinate deity (Greek philosophy) | AHD/W7 | |
| dramaturge | n | playwright | AHD/CDC | |
| endergonic | adj | re: energy absorption | AHD | |
| endoergic | adj | re: (nuclear) energy absorption | AHD | |
| energetic | adj | strenuous, marked by energy | W7 | |
| energy | n | vitality of expression | AHD/W7 | |
| erg | n | CGS unit of work | AHD/W7 | |
| ergative | adj | re: case of grammatical subject | AHD | |
| ergograph | n | apparatus for measuring muscular work capacity | AHD/W7 | |
| ergometer | n | apparatus for measuring muscular work performed | AHD/W7 | |
| ergonomics | n | designing job/workplace/equipment to maximize productivity | AHD | |
| exergonic | adj | releasing energy | AHD | |
| exergue | n | space on coin/token/medal below central design | AHD/W7 | |
| exoergic | adj | releasing energy | AHD | |
| georgic | adj | re: agriculture | AHD/W7 | |
| handiwork | n | work done by hand | AHD/W7 | |
| irk | vb.trans | to make bored/weary/irritated | AHD/W7 | |
| lethargy | n | abnormal drowsiness | AHD/W7 | |
| liturgy | n | prescribed rites for public worship | AHD/W7 | |
| metallurgy | n | science/technology of metals | AHD/W7 | |
| organ | n | musical instrument | AHD/W7 | |
| organon | n | instrument for acquiring knowledge | AHD/W7 | |
| orgy | n | secret ceremonial rite involving ecstatic singing/dancing | AHD/W7 | |
| playwright | n | writer of plays | LRC | |
| surgery | n | branch of medicine dealing with diseases | AHD/W7 | |
| synergid | n | small cell near micropyle of seed plant embryo sac | AHD/W7 | |
| synergism | n | cooperative action of agencies (whole effect greater than sum of parts) | AHD/W7 | |
| thaumaturge | n | thaumaturgist: magician, lit. miracle-worker | AHD/W7 | |
| -urgy | n.sfx | technique/art of dealing/working with (something) | AHD/W7 | |
| work, wrought | vb.wk | to effect, bring to pass | AHD/W7 | |
| work | n | activity where one exerts strength/faculties to do/perform something | AHD/W7 | |
| wright | n | worker, carpenter | AHD/W7 | |
| wrought | adj | formed, fashioned | AHD/W7 | |
| West Germanic | ||||
| Old Frisian: | werk | n.neut | work | ASD |
| werka | vb | to work, labor | ASD | |
| Middle Dutch: | bolwerc | n | bulwark | W7 |
| Dutch: | werken | vb | to work | LRC |
| Old Saxon: | giwerk | n | work; fort(ress) | ASD |
| hand-giwerk | n | handiwork | ASD | |
| werk | n.neut | work, pain | ASD | |
| wirkian | vb | to work, labor | ASD | |
| wurhtio | n.masc | wright, worker, maker | ASD | |
| Old High German: | gawerk | n | work; fort(ress) | ASD |
| weran | n.neut | work, structure | ASD | |
| werc | n | work | W7 | |
| wurchen, wirchen | vb | to work, labor | ASD | |
| wurhto | n.masc | wright, worker, maker | ASD | |
| Middle High German: | bolwerc | n | bulwark | W7 |
| German: | Allergie | n | allergy | W7 |
| Bollwerk | n.neut | bulwark | LRC | |
| Handwerk | n.neut | handiwork | LRC | |
| Werk | n.neut | work | LRC | |
| wirken | vb | to work | LRC | |
| North Germanic | ||||
| Old Norse: | verk | n | work | LRC |
| verkr | n | ache, pain | LRC | |
| yrkja | vb | to do, work | LRC | |
| Icelandic: | organ | n.neut | organ: instrument | ASD |
| verk | n.neut | work | ASD | |
| yrkja | vb | to work, labor | ASD | |
| Danish: | virke | vb | to work | LRC |
| Swedish: | verk | n | work | TLL |
| verka | vb | to work | LRC | |
| värk | n | ache, pain | LRC | |
| East Germanic | ||||
| Gothic: | frawaúrhts | n.str.fem | sin | LRC |
| gawaurki | n | work; fort(ress) | ASD | |
| waúrkjan | vb.wk.I | to work, make, labor | LRC | |
| Crimean Gothic: | *warþata, v(v)arthata | vb.pret.sg | (you/he) did/made | CGo |
| Italic | ||||
| Latin: | chirurgia | n.fem | surgery | W7 |
| georgicus | adj | re: farming | W7 | |
| organum | n.neut | organ | W7 | |
| orgia | n.neut.pl | festivals honoring Bacchus/Dionysos | W7 | |
| Late Latin: | demiurgus | n.masc | demiurge | W7 |
| energia | n.fem | energy | W7 | |
| lethargia | n.fem | lethargy | W7 | |
| liturgia | n.fem | liturgy, public cult/prayer | W7 | |
| Medieval Latin: | litargia | n.fem | lethargy | W7 |
| New Latin: | exergum | n.neut | exergue | W7 |
| metallurgia | n.fem | metallurgy | W7 | |
| synergida | n.fem | synergid | W7 | |
| synergismus | n.masc | synergism | W7 | |
| thaumaturgus | adj | re: working miracles | W7 | |
| -urgia | sfx | -urgy, craft | W7 | |
| Old French: | cirurgie | n.fem | surgery | W7 |
| organe | n.masc | organ | W7 | |
| surgerie | n.fem | surgery | W7 | |
| Middle French: | orgie | n.fem | orgy | W7 |
| French: | boulevard | n.masc | boulevard | W7 |
| exergue | n.masc | exergue | W7 | |
| thaumaturge | n.masc | thaumaturge | W7 | |
| Hellenic | ||||
| Homeric Greek: | ἐργάζομαι | vb | to do, make, work, perform | LRC |
| ἔργον | n.neut | work, deed | LRC | |
| Greek: | ἀργός | adj | idle, lazy, inert, slothful | CDC |
| geōrgikos | adj | re: farming | W7 | |
| geōrgos | n.masc | farmer | W7 | |
| δημιουργός | n.masc | demiurge, lit. people's worker | LRC | |
| ἐνέργεια | n.fem | energy, activity, operation | LS | |
| ἐνεργητικός | adj | energetic | CDC | |
| ἐνεργός | adj | busy, active, working, energetic | LS | |
| thaumatourgos | adj | lit. miracle-working | W7 | |
| leitourgia | n.fem | liturgy, public cult/service | W7 | |
| lēthargia | n.fem | lethargy, forgetfulness | W7 | |
| lēthargos | adj | lethargic, forgetful | W7 | |
| organon | n.neut | tool, instrument | W7 | |
| -ourgia | sfx | service | W7 | |
| -ourgos | sfx | worker | W7 | |
| synergos | adj | working together | W7 | |
| cheirourgia | n.fem | surgery | W7 | |
| cheirourgos | n.masc | surgeon | W7 | |
| Armenian | ||||
| Classical Armenian: | gorc | n | work, deed | LRC |
Key to Part-of-Speech/Grammatical feature abbreviations:
| Abbrev. | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| I | = | class 1 |
| adj | = | adjective |
| fem | = | feminine (gender) |
| masc | = | masculine (gender) |
| n | = | noun |
| neut | = | neuter (gender) |
| pl | = | plural (number) |
| pret | = | preterite (tense) |
| sfx | = | suffix |
| 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) |
| CDC | = | W.D. Whitney and B.E. Smith: The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia (1889-1911) |
| CGo | = | MacDonald Stearns, Jr: Crimean Gothic (1978) |
| LRC | = | Linguistics Research Center, University of Texas, Austin |
| LS | = | Liddell and Scott: Greek-English Lexicon, 7th-9th ed's (1882-1940), rev. |
| TLL | = | Frederick Bodmer: The Loom of Language (1944) |
| W7 | = | Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary (1963) |
