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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.

Note: this page is for systems/browsers lacking Unicode^® support, or having less than full Unicode 2.0 font support. Versions of this page rendered in alternate character sets are available via links (see Unicode 3 and Unicode 2) in the left margin.

Pokorny Etymon: 2. ak-, ok- 'sharp, acute, angular; stone'

Semantic Fields: Sharp; Rock, Stone

Indo-European Reflexes:

Family/Language	Reflex(es)	PoS/Gram.	Gloss	Source(s)
Celtic
Old Irish:	er	adj	high	GED
	ochair	n	edge	GED
Gaulish:	Achrotalus	prop.n	with high forehead	GED
English
Old English:	ægnan	n.str.fem.pl	chaff	GED
	agen	n	ear of grain	W7
	agu	n	magpie	GED
	ear	n.str.neut	ear, icker	GED
	ecg	n.str.fem	tip, edge	GED
	egenu	n.str.fem	chaff	GED
	egl	n.str.masc	splinter	GED
Middle English:	acetous	adj	acetous	AHD
	acuite	n	acuity	AHD
	aglet	n	aglet	W7
	ague	n	ague	W7
	awn(e)/aune/awene/agun	n	awn	W7/CDC
	egge	n	egg	W7
	eggen	vb	to egg (on), urge/tempt, incite/entice	W7
	eglentyn	adj	eglantine	W7
	egre	adj	eager	W7
	selvage	n	selvage	W7
	vinegre	n	vinegar	W7
English:	acerate	adj	pointed like needle	AHD/W7
	acerbic	adj	sour/acid in taste	AHD
	acerose	adj	long and narrow and pointed	AHD
	acetabulum	n	hipbone socket; a leech's sucker	AHD/W7
	acetic	adj	re: vinegar, acetic acid	AHD/W7
	acetous	adj	sour, acetic	AHD
	acetum	n	vinegar, dilute acetic acid solution	AHD
	acicula	n	needlelike spine/bristle/crystal	AHD/W7
	acid	adj	sour, sharp, biting to the taste	AHD/W7
	acid	n	sour substance	W7
	acidanthera	n	(type of) flower	AHD
	acidic	adj	acid, acid-forming	W7
	acme	n	peak, highest point	AHD/W7
	acne	n	skin pore inflammation	AHD/W7
	acrid	adj	sharp/pungent in taste/odor	AHD/W7
	acrimony	n	harsh/biting sharpness (of words)	AHD/W7
	acr(o)-	pfx	topmost, extreme	AHD/W7
	acrobat	n	one who performs gymnastic feats	AHD/W7
	acromegaly	n	chronic hyperpituitarism (enlargement of feet/hands)	AHD/W7
	acromelic	adj	re: extremity ends (hands/feet)	AHD
	acromion	n	high outside part of scapula	AHD
	acronym	n	word formed by first letters of name	AHD
	acrophobia	n	abnormal fear of heights	W7
	acropolis	n	upper fortified part of ancient Greek city	AHD/W7
	acrostic	n	composition where initial/final letters of lines form word/phrase/sequence	AHD
	acuity	n	sharpness, keenness of perception	AHD/W7
	aculeate	adj	having a sting, prickly	AHD/W7
	acumen	n	keenness of perception	AHD/W7
	acuminate	vb	to taper to sharp point	AHD
	acupuncture	n	Chinese medical science of body puncture	AHD/W7
	acute	adj	sharp, severe, penetrating	AHD/W7
	aglet	n	tag of a lace-end	AHD/W7
	ague	n	fever of heat, chills, sweating	AHD/W7
	amphioxus	n	lancelet	AHD/W7
	awn	n	slender bristle at end of grain-stalk	AHD/W7
	carvacrol	n	liquid phenol used as antiseptic	AHD/W7
	eager	adj.arch	keen, sharp	AHD/W7
	ear	n	fruiting spike of a cereal	AHD/W7
	edge	n	edge, cutting side or line	AHD/W7
	egg	vb	to incite to action	AHD/W7
	eglantine	n	sweetbrier	AHD/W7
	ester	n	organic acid/alcohol compound	AHD/W7
	exacerbate	vb	to excite, enflame, intensify	AHD/W7
	icker	n	head of grain	W7
	mediocre	adj	middling, inferior	AHD/W7
	oxalis	n	wood sorrel	AHD/W7
	oxygen	n	oxygen	AHD/W7
	oxytone	adj	acutely accented on last syllable	AHD/W7
	paragon	n	model of excellence/perfection	AHD/W7
	paroxysm	n	convulsion, sudden onset of disease symptoms	AHD/W7
	selvage	n	ravel-resistant fabric edge	AHD/W7
	vinegar	n	vinegar	AHD/W7
W-Germanic
Old Frisian:	eg/ig	n.fem	edge	ASD
Frisian:	eher	n.str.neut	ear	GED
	ig	n	edge	ASD
Middle Flemish:	egge	n	edge	W7
	selvage/selvegge	n	ravel-resistant fabric edge	W7
Old Saxon:	eggia	n.str.fem	tip, edge	GED
Old High German:	aga	n	magpie	GED
	agana	n.str.fem	chaff, ear of grain	GED
	ahir	n.str.neut	ear	GED
	ecka/ekka	n.str.fem	tip, edge	GED/ASD
	ehir	n.str.neut	ear	GED
Middle High German:	ag(e)ne/ane	n	awn	CDC
	eck	n.neut	edge	ASD
	ecke	n.fem	edge	ASD
German:	Ähre	n.fem	ear	LRC
	akut	adj	acute, urgent	LRC
	Äther	n	ether	W7
	Eck	n.neut	edge	ASD
	Ecke	n.fem	edge, corner	ASD
	Essig	n	vinegar	W7
	Essigäther	n	ethyl acetate	W7
	Ester	n	organic acid/alcohol compound	W7
N-Germanic
Old Norse:	egg	n.fem	edge	LRC
	eggja, eggjað	vb	to urge, whet	LRC
	ögn	n	ear of grain	W7
Old Icelandic:	ax	n.str.neut	ear	GED
	egg	n.str.fem	tip, edge	GED
	ogn	n.str.fem	chaff	GED
Icelandic:	egg	n.fem	edge	ASD
	ögn, agnar	n	awn, chaff	CDC
Danish:	avne	n	awn, chaff	CDC
	eg	n.masc/fem	edge	ASD
Swedish:	agg	n.masc	prick, resentment	GED
	agga	vb.wk	to prick, incite	GED
	*agn, agnar	n	awn, chaff	CDC
	egg	n.masc	edge	ASD
E-Germanic
Gothic:	ahaks	n	tame white dove (sacrificial dove; also symbol of the Holy Spirit)	GED
	ahana	n.fem	awn, chaff	GED
	ahs	n.neut	ear (of grain)	GED
Italic
Umbrian:	ocar	n	mountain	GED
	ukar	n	mountain	GED
Old Latin:	mediocris	adj	mediocre, at mid-height	GED
	ocris	n	rocky mountain	GED
Latin:	aceo, acere	vb	to be sour	W7
	acer, aceris	n.neut	maple (tree)	GED
	acer, acris, acre	adj	sharp, piercing	GED
	acerbo, acerbare	vb	to aggravate, make harsh/bitter	AHD/CLD
	acerbus	adj	harsh, bitter	W7
	aceris	n.gen	chaff	GED
	acetum	n.neut	vinegar	W7
	acidus	adj	sour, acidic	W7
	acies, aciei	n.fem	line of battle	LRC
	acrimonia	n.fem	bitterness, harshness	W7
	aculeatus	adj	having stings	W7
	aculeus	n.masc	sting	W7
	acumen, acuminis	n.neut	point	W7
	acuo, acuere, acui, acutus	vb	to sharpen	W7
	acus	n	chaff	GED
	acus	n.fem	needle	W7
	agna	n.fem	ear of grain	GED
	exacerbo, exacerbare	vb	to exacerbate, make worse/more bitter	W7
	mediocris	adj	not good but not bad; halfway up a mountain	W7
	ocris	n.masc	stony mountain	W7
	oxalis	n.masc	wood sorrel	W7
Vulgar Latin:	aculentum	n.neut	eglantine	W7
Late Latin:	acicula, acucula	n.fem	ornamental pin	W7
Medieval Latin:	acuta	adj.fem	sharp (fever)	W7
	paroxysmus	n.masc	paroxysm	W7
New Latin:	amphioxus	adj	sharp at both ends	W7
	oxalis	n.masc	wood sorrel	W7
Old French:	acrostiche	n	acrostic	AHD
	agu	adj	sharp	W7
	agüeté	n.fem	acuity	W7
	aigre	adj	sour	W7
	vinaigre	n.masc	vinegar	W7
Middle French:	acrimonie	n.fem	acrimony	W7
	acrostiche	n.masc	acrostic	W7
	acuité	n.fem	acuity	W7
	aguë	adj	acute (fever)	W7
	aguille, aiguille	n.fem	needle	W7
	aguillette, aiguillette	n.fem	small needle	W7
	aiglent	n.masc	eglantine, sweetbrier	W7
	médiocre	adj	not good but not bad	W7
	paragon	n.masc	example, model	W7
French:	acétique	adj	acetic	W7
	acide	adj	sour, acidic	W7
	acrobate	n.masc	acrobat	W7
	acromégalie	n	acromegaly	AHD
	acrostiche	n.masc	acrostic	AHD
	aigre	adj	keen, sour	W7
	oxygène	n.masc	oxygen	W7
	oxyton	n.masc	a word accented on the last syllable	W7
	paroxysme	n.masc	climax, paroxysm	W7
Old Italian:	paragonare	vb	to test on a touchstone	W7
	paragone	n.masc	touchstone	W7
Baltic
Old Prussian:	ackons	n	ear of grain	GED
Lithuanian:	asnìs	n	blade	GED
	astrùs	adj	sharp	GED
Latvian:	akrims	n	stone	GED
Slavic
Old Church Slavonic:	ostru'	adj	sharp	GED
Hellenic
Cyprian:	akos-tê	n	barley	GED
Doric:	áchna	n	awn, chaff	CDC
Homeric Greek:	akachménos	adj	pointed, sharpened	GED
	ákmôn	n	stone, anvil	LRC
Greek:	ákaina	n	tip	GED
	ákantha	n.fem	thorn	LRC
	ake	n.fem	point	W7
	ak-mê	n	peak	GED/IEW
	akme	n.fem	point	W7
	akne	n.fem	eruption on face	W7
	akónê	n	whetstone	GED
	akone	n.fem	whetstone	W7
	ákonos	n	thistle	GED
	akrobatein	vb	to walk on tip-toe	AHD
	akrobates	n.masc	acrobat	AHD
	ákron	n.neut	peak, extremity, mountain-top	LRC
	ákros	adj	sharp	GED
	akrostichis	n.fem	acrostic	W7
	akromion	n	acromion, outer end of scapula	AHD
	ákôn	n	throwing spear	GED
	áchnê	n	awn, chaff	CDC
	ókris	n	mountain peak	GED
	oxynein	vb	to provoke	W7
	oxys	adj	sharp	W7
	oxytonos	adj	oxytone	W7
	parakonan	vb	to sharpen	W7
	paroxynein	vb	to stimulate	W7
	paroxusmos	n.masc	paroxysm, irritation, provocation, exasperation	LS
Anatolian
Hittite:	aku-	n	stone	GED
	hekur	n	(tip of) rock	GED
Armenian
Armenian:	aseln	n	needle	GED
Iranian
Avestan:	asno	n	rock, stone for sling	GED
Indic
Sanskrit:	asánis	n	thunderbolt, tip of missile	GED
	asrá-	adj	sharp	GED
	ásris	n	sharp edge	GED
Tocharian
Tocharian B:	ake	n	end	GED
Tocharian A:	ak	n	end	GED

Key to Part-of-Speech/Grammatical feature abbreviations:

Abbrev.		Meaning
adj	=	adjective
arch	=	archaic
fem	=	feminine (gender)
gen	=	genitive (case)
masc	=	masculine (gender)
n	=	noun
neut	=	neuter (gender)
pfx	=	prefix
pl	=	plural (number)
prop	=	proper
str	=	strong (inflection)
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)
CLD	=	Cassell's Latin Dictionary (1959, rev. 1968)
GED	=	Winfred P. Lehmann: A Gothic Etymological Dictionary (1986)
IEW	=	Julius Pokorny: Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (1959)
LRC	=	Linguistics Research Center, University of Texas, Austin
LS	=	Liddell and Scott: Greek-English Lexicon, 7th-9th ed's (1882-1940), rev.
W7	=	Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary (1963)

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