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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.

Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings may appreciate the source & meaning tips that pop up when the mouse pointer hovers over a non-obvious word or name that he coined from Indo-European (usually Old English or Old Norse) stock. But only reflexes of PIE etyma can be included, and these tend to concentrate in the vocabulary of Rohan and the Shire.

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: duo(u) 'two, duo'

Semantic Field: Number

Indo-European Reflexes:

Family/Language	Reflex(es)	PoS/Gram.	Gloss	Source(s)
Celtic
Old Irish:	da, di, da	nbr.card	two (2)	GED
	de-riad	n	pair of horses	GED
	diabul	adj	double	GED
Irish:	dó	nbr.card	two (2)	LRC
Scots Gaelic:	dà	nbr.card	two (2)	LRC
Manx:	daa	nbr.card	two (2)	LRC
Old Welsh:	dou	nbr.card	two (2)	EIE
Middle Welsh:	dwy-flwydd	n.fem	biennium	GED
English
Old English:	be-tweon(um)/bitweon(um)	adv/prep	between	GED/ASD
	betwinun/betwynum	adv/prep	between	CDC
	be-t(w)ux/betweox	prep	betwixt	W7/CDC
	betwyxt/betwuzt/betweoks	prep	betwixt	CDC
	ge-twæfan	vb.wk	to rob, separate	GED
	ge-twin(n)	n.masc	twin	GED/ASD
	tan	n	twig	GED
	twægentig/twentig	nbr.card	twenty (20), lit. twice-ten	GED
	twegen/twægen, tw(u)a, tu	nbr.card	twain, two (2)	LRC
	twelf	nbr.card	twelve (12), lit. two left	GED
	tweo	n.masc	doubt	GED
	tweogan	vb.wk	to doubt	GED
	-tweon	sfx	'tween	W7
	twi-	pfx	twice, double	W7
	twi-fete	adj	two-footed	GED
	twi-ga	adv	twice	GED
	twiga	adv	twice	W7
	twig(ge)	n.neut	twig, branch	GED
	twilic	adj	having double thread	W7
	twin	n	twine	W7
	twinn	adj	twofold, two-by-two	W7
	-twist	n.sfx	rope	W7
	twi-wa	adv	twice	GED
	-twux	sfx	twixt	W7
Northumbrian:	betweón/betwen/bitwen	adv/prep	between	CDC
Middle English:	at(w)o	adv	apart, in two	MEV
	atwynne	adv	in two	MEV
	bala(u)nce	n	balance	W7/CDC
	betwen(e)/bitwene/bytwene	adv/prep	between	W7/CDC/MEV
	betwix(t)/bitwixe	prep	betwixt	W7/MEV
	bi-	pfx	bi-	W7
	binarie	adj	binary	AHD
	bytwyzte/betuxt/betuix	prep	betwixt	CDC
	combinen	vb	to combine	W7
	di-	pfx	di-	W7
	double	adj	double	W7
	doublet	n	doublet	W7
	douten	vb	to doubt	W7
	duplicate	vb	to duplicate	W7
	redoutable	adj	redoubtable	W7
	twa	nbr.card	two (2)	W7
	twain	adj	twain	W7
	twelve	nbr.card	twelve (12)	W7
	twenty	nbr.card	twenty (20)	W7
	twi(g)es	adv	twice	W7
	twigge	n	twig	W7
	twin	n	twine	W7
	twisten	vb	to twist	W7
	twix	prep	twixt	W7
	two	nbr.card	two (2)	W7
	twyll	n	twill	W7
English:	'tween	prep	between	LRC
	anadiplosis	n	repetition of last/prominent word in one phrase/clause at beginning of next	AHD/W7
	balance	n	scale for weighing	AHD/W7
	between	adv/prep	by common action, in common to	AHD/W7
	betwixt	prep	between	AHD/W7
	bezel	n	sloping edge/face on cutting tool	AHD/W7
	bi-	pfx	two, twice, double	AHD/W7
	binal	adj	double, twofold, binary	AHD
	binary	adj	re: two things/parts	AHD/W7
	bis	adv	twice	AHD/W7
	bistort	n	plant with twisted roots	AHD/W7
	combine	vb	to bring closely together	AHD/W7
	conduplicate	adj	folded lengthwise	AHD/W7
	deuce	n	face of die bearing two spots	AHD/W7
	di-	pfx	twice, double, twofold	AHD/W7
	di(a)-	pfx	through, across	W7
	diadelphous	adj	having stamens united in 2 sets by filaments	AHD/CDC
	diapir	n	intrusion of rock core into overburden	AHD
	Diaspora	prop.n	dispersion of Jews among Gentiles	AHD/CDC
	dichasium	n	cymose inflorescence with two main axes	AHD/W7
	dicho-	pfx	in pairs, in 2 parts	AHD
	dicrotism	n	having 2 pulse beats per heartbeat	AHD
	didymium	n	mixture of neodymium/praseodymium	AHD/W7
	didymous	adj	re: twin(s), growing in pairs	AHD/W7
	diglossia	n	language division: prestigious vs. colloquial	AHD
	dimer	n	two identical molecules combined	AHD
	diphyodont	adj	having 2 sets of teeth	AHD/CDC
	diplo-	pfx	double	AHD
	diploe	n	cancellous bony tissue in skull	AHD/W7
	diploid	adj	double, twofold	AHD
	diploma	n	charter, official/state document	AHD/W7
	dipteral	adj	dipterous, having (only) 2 wings	AHD/CDC
	double	adj	dual, having twofold relation/character	AHD/W7
	doublet	n	man's long close-fitting jacket	AHD/W7
	doubloon	n	old Spanish gold coin	AHD/W7
	doubt	vb	to fear	AHD/W7
	duad	n	pair	AHD/W7
	dual	adj	re: two	AHD/W7
	dubious	adj	equivocal, occasioning doubt	AHD/W7
	duet	n	composition for two performers	AHD/W7
	duo-	pfx	two	AHD/W7
	duo	n	pair, duet	AHD/W7
	duple	adj	having two units/members	AHD/W7
	duplex	adj	double, twofold	AHD/W7
	duplicate	adj	re: two identical/corresponding parts/examples	AHD/W7
	duplicity	n	doubleness, state of being double	AHD/CDC
	dyad	n	pair	AHD/W7
	epididymis	n	elongated mass at back of testis	AHD/W7
	hendiadys	n	expression of idea by two connected nouns	AHD/W7
	mistletoe	n	European semiparasitic green shrub	GED/W7
	redoubtable	adj	formidable, causing fear/alarm	AHD/W7
	twain	adj	two	AHD/W7
	tway	nbr.card.dial	two (2)	AHD/W7
	twayblade	n	type of orchid	AHD/W7
	tweens	n.pl	hobbit years 20-32 in Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings	LRC
	twelfth	nbr.ord	12th	AHD
	twelve	nbr.card	12	AHD/W7
	twenty	nbr.card	20	AHD/W7
	twibill	n	double-bladed battle-ax, lit. two-bill	AHD/CDC
	twice	adv	on two occasions	AHD/W7
	twig	n	small shoot/branch	AHD/W7
	twilight	n	light refracted/reflected by atmosphere while sun is down	AHD
	twill	n	fabric with a certain weave	AHD/W7
	twin	adj	(born) together as pair	AHD/W7
	twin	n	either of two born together	W7
	twine	n	strong string of two/more twisted strands	AHD/W7
	twist	vb	to unite (strands/threads/wires) by winding one around another	AHD/W7
	twixt	prep	betwixt	AHD/W7
	two	nbr.card	2	AHD/W7
	twofold	adj	double, 2 times the number/quantity	LRC
	zwitterion	n	dipolar ion	AHD/W7
Scots English:	betwisht/betweesht	prep	betwixt	CDC
W-Germanic
Old Frisian:	twelef/twilif/tolef	nbr.card	twelve (12), lit. two left	GED/ASD
	twen(e), twa, twa	nbr.card	two (2)	GED
	twi-	pfx	twice, double	ASD
	twifil	n.masc	doubt	GED
	twine	adj	two each	GED
	twintich/twintege	nbr.card	twenty (20)	GED/ASD
	twi-ra	adv	twice	GED
	twiska(a)	prep	twixt	GED
	twist	n.str.masc	division	GED
Middle Dutch:	twijn	n	twine	W7
	twist	n.str.masc	quarrel, division	GED
Dutch:	teen	n.masc	twig, withe, osier	GED/ASD
	tusschen	prep	between, among	TLL
	twee	nbr.card	two (2)	LRC
	tweeling	n	twin	TLL
	twiju	n.neut	twine, twist	ASD
Old Saxon:	ten	n	staff	GED
	tweho	n.masc	doubt, uncertainty	GED
	twehon	vb.wk	to (inspire) doubt	GED
	twelif	nbr.card	twelve (12), lit. two left	GED
	twene, twa/two, twe	nbr.card	two (2)	GED
	twentig	nbr.card	twenty (20)	GED
	twifli	adj	doubtful	GED
	twiflian/twiflon	vb.wk	to cause (to) doubt	GED
	twisc	adj	two each	GED
	twist	n.str.masc	division	GED
Old Low German:	twi-	pfx	twice, double	ASD
Middle Low German:	ten	n	thin metal rod	GED
	twivel	n.str.masc/neut	doubt	GED
Old High German:	zein/zain	n.masc	twig, reed, ruler	ASD
	zweho	n.masc	doubt, ambiguity	GED
	zwehon	vb.wk	to doubt, hesitate	GED
	zweig	n	twig	GED
	zweinzug	nbr.card	twenty (20)	GED
	zwelif	nbr.card	twelve (12), lit. two left	GED
	zwene, zwa/zwo, zwei	nbr.card	two (2)	GED
	zwi-	pfx	twice, double	ASD
	zwifoli	adj	doubtful	GED
	zwi(g)	n.str.masc	twig, branch	GED/ASD
	zwinal/gezuinele	n.masc	twin	ASD
	zwiro/zwiror	adv	twice	GED
	zwisk	adj	twofold	GED
	zwival	n.str.masc/neut	doubt	GED
	zwivelen	vb.wk	to cause (to) doubt	GED
	zwivo	n.wk.masc	doubt	GED
Middle High German:	zein(e)	n	reed, branch; rod, pole	GED
	zwene	nbr.card	two (2)	CDC
	zwi-	pfx	two, twice, double	CDC
	zwir/zwis	adv	twice	GED
	zwirn	n.str.masc	twist, thread	GED
	zwist	n.str.masc	division	GED
German:	Zain	n.masc	reed, branch; rod, pole	GED
	zwanzig	nbr.card	twenty (20)	LRC
	zween	nbr.card	two (2)	CDC
	zwei	nbr.card	twain, two (2)	GED
	Zweifel	n.masc	doubt	LRC
	zweifeln	vb	to (cause to) doubt	LRC
	Zweig	n.masc	twig, branch	LRC
	zweimal	adv	twice	LRC
	zwie-	pfx	two, twice, double	CDC
	Zwilling	n.masc	twin	LRC
	zwischen	prep	between, among	TLL
	Zwist	n.masc	brawl, dispute	LRC
	zwitter	adj	hybrid	W7
	Zwitterion	n.neut	zwitterion	W7
	zwölf	nbr.card	twelve (12)	LRC
N-Germanic
Old Norse:	tveir, tva	nbr.card	two (2)	EIE
	tvinnr	adv	two-by-two	W7
Old Icelandic:	teinn	n	twig, sprout	GED
	tolf	nbr.card	twelve (12), lit. two left	GED
	tuttugu	nbr.card	twenty (20)	GED
	tveir, tvær, tva	nbr.card	two (2)	GED
	tvennr/tvinnr	adj	twofold	GED
	tvis-tra	vb.wk	to separate	GED
	tvis-var	adv	twice	GED
	tvi-faldr	adj	double, lit. two-fold	GED
	tys-var	adv	twice	GED
Icelandic:	teinn	n.masc	twig, sprout, spit	ASD
	tólf	nbr.card	twelve (12)	ASD
	tuttugu	nbr.card	twenty (20)	ASD
	tveir, tvær, tvau	nbr.card	two (2)	ASD
	tvi-fættr	adj	two-footed	ASD
	tví-	pfx	twice, double	ASD
Norwegian:	ten	n.masc	slender rod	ASD
Danish:	ten	n.masc	spindle	ASD
	to	nbr.card	two (2)	LRC
	tvilling	n	twin	TLL
Old Swedish:	twis-wær	adv	twice	GED
	tys-wa(r)	adv	twice	GED
Swedish:	ten	n.masc	rod, spindle	ASD
	tvilling	n	twin	TLL
	två	nbr.card	two (2)	LRC
E-Germanic
Gothic:	*tains	n.masc	twig, branch	GED
	twai, twos, twa	nbr.card	two (2)	LRC
	twai-tigjus	nbr.card	twenty (20)	ASD
	twa-lif	nbr.card	twelve (12), lit. two left	GED
	*tweifleins	n.fem	doubt	GED
	tweifljan	vb.wk	to cause doubt	GED
	*tweifls	n.masc	doubt	GED
	*tweihnai	adj	both, two each	GED
	tweihnai	adj	two each	W7/GED
	tweihnaim	prep	'tween	W7/GED
	*twis-standan	vb.str.VI	to part	GED
	*twis-stass	n.fem	discord	GED
	weina-tains	n.masc	vine-twig/branch	GED
	wit	pron.du	we two	GED
Crimean Gothic:	tua	nbr.card	two (2)	GED
	*þiinetua/thune-tua	nbr.card	twelve (10 + 2)	CGo/GED
Italic
Old Latin:	*duini	adj	two each	CDC
	duis/dvis	adv	twice	GED
Latin:	bilanx	adj	having two scale pans	AHD
	bilix, bilicis	adj	having double thread	W7
	binalis	n	twin	AHD
	binarius	adj	binary, two-part	CDC
	bini, binae, bina	adj	two each, two-by-two	GED
	bi-pes	adj	two-footed	GED
	bis, bi-	adj/adv/pfx	twice, double, in two	GED
	conduplico, conduplicare, conduplicavi, conduplicatus	vb	to double	W7
	di-	pfx	undo, separate	W7
	diploma	n.neut	folded letter, letter of introduction	W7
	dis	prep	apart, in two directions	GED
	dualis	adj	of two, binary	W7
	dubito, dubitare	vb	to doubt, waver	W7
	dubius	adj	dubious	W7
	dubo, dubare	vb	to vacillate	W7
	duo, duae, duo	nbr.card	two (2)	LRC
	duodecim	nbr.card	twelve (12), lit. two (and) ten	GED
	duplex, duplicis	adj	double	W7
	duplico, duplicare, duplicavi, duplicatus	vb	to double, duplicate	W7
	duplus, dupla, duplum	adj	double, lit. two-fold	GED
	viginti	nbr.card	twenty (20)	GED
Vulgar Latin:	bilancia	n.fem	scale	W7
Late Latin:	anadiplosis	n.fem	anadiplosis	W7
	bilanx, bilancis	adj	having two scalepans	W7
	binarius	adj	two by two	W7
	combino, combinare	vb	to combine	W7
	dyas, dyadis	n.fem	dyad	W7
	hendiadys	n.neut	expression of idea via 2 nouns connected by 'and'	W7
Middle Latin:	bisalus	n	stone with two slopes/angles	CDC
New Latin:	bistorta	n	bistort	CDC
	dichasium	n.neut	cymose inflorescence	W7
	diploe	n.masc	bony tissue in the skull	W7
	epididymis	n.fem	mass of tubes in testicles	W7
Portuguese:	balança	n	balance	CDC
	bisel	n	bezel	CDC
Spanish:	balanza/balanca	n	balance	CDC
	bisel	n	bezel	CDC
	dobla	n.fem	old Spanish coin	W7
	doblón	n.masc	old Spanish coin	W7
Old French:	balance	n.fem	scale	W7
	*besel/bisel	n	bevel	CDC
	double	adj	double, twofold	W7
	douter	vb	to doubt	W7
Middle French:	bistorte	n	bistort	W7
	combiner	vb	to combine	W7
	deus	nbr.card	two (2)	W7
	di-	pfx	two	W7
	double	adj	double	W7
	doublet	n.masc	doublet	W7
	douter	vb	to doubt	W7
	redoutable	adj	redoubtable, to be feared	W7
	redouter	vb	to dread	W7
French:	balance	n	balance	CDC
	biseau	n.masc	bevel, chamfer	W7
	bistorte	n	bistort	CDC
Old Occitan:	balansa	n	balance	CDC
Italian:	bilancia	n	balance	CDC
	bistorta	n	bistort	CDC
	duetto	n.masc	duet, dialogue, couple	W7/CID
	duo	adj	two	W7
Baltic
Old Prussian:	dwai	nbr.card	two (2)	EIE
Lithuanian:	dù, dvì	nbr.card	two (2)	GED
	dveigys	adj	two years old	GED
	dvejópas	adj	twofold	GED
	dvìdesimt	nbr.card	twenty (20)	GED
	dvy(na)s	n	twin	GED
	tíek	adv	so much, so many	LRC
	vè-du	pron	lit. we two	GED
Latvian:	divi	nbr.card	two (2)	GED
	dvìnis	n	twin	GED
Slavic
Czech:	oba-pol	adj	from both sides	GED
Serbo-Croatian:	dvîze	adj	two-year-old	GED
Old Church Slavonic:	du'va, du've	nbr.card	two (2)	GED
Russian:	dva, dve	nbr.card	two (2)	EIE
	dvójka	n	pair	GED
Albanian
Albanian:	dy	nbr.card	two (2)	EIE
	dytë	nbr.ord	second (2nd)	EIE
Hellenic
Mycenaean:	dwo	nbr.card	two (2)	EIE
Homeric Greek:	diá	prep	through, between	LRC
	doiê	n	doubt, perplexity	GED
	dúo/dúô	nbr.card	two (2)	LRC
Greek:	anadiploun	vb	to double	W7
	anadiplosis	n.fem	repetition	W7
	diá	adv	apart, in two directions	GED
	didymos	adj	double	W7
	dióper	adv	therefore, so	LRC
	di-plós	adj	double, lit. two-fold	GED
	diplóô	vb	to double	LRC
	diploma	n.neut	folded paper, passport	W7
	dí-pous	adj	two-footed	GED
	di(s)-	pfx	two	CDC
	dís	adv	twice	GED
	distázô	n	doubt	GED
	dicha	adv	separated in two	W7
	dichazein	vb	to halve	W7
	dichasis	n.fem	halving	W7
	duo-kaí-deka	nbr.card	twelve (12), lit. two-and-ten	GED
	dô-deka	nbr.card	twelve (12), lit. two-ten	GED
Anatolian
Lycian:	cbi-/tbi-	adj/nbr.card	other; two (2)	GED
	cbijêtezi	nbr.ord	second (2nd)	GED
Hittite:	da-iuga	n	two-year-old	GED
	dammai-	adj	other	GED
	dan/tan	nbr.ord	second (2nd)	GED
	duiyanalli-	n	second-ranked official	GED
Armenian
Armenian:	erkeam	n	two-year-old	GED
	erko-tasn	nbr.card	twelve (12), lit. two (and) ten	GED
	erku	nbr.card	two (2)	EIE
Iranian
New Persian:	dovvom/doyyom	nbr.ord	second (2nd)	EIE
Avestan:	bis	adv	twice	GED
	daibitya	nbr.ord	second (2nd)	EIE
	dva	nbr.card	two (2)	EIE
Khotanese:	säta-	nbr.ord	second (2nd)	EIE
Pushto:	dwayam	nbr.ord	second (2nd)	EIE
Indic
Sanskrit:	d(u)va/dvaú	nbr.card.masc	two (2)	GED
	d(u)vé	nbr.card.fem/neut	two (2)	GED
	dva-kás	adj	paired	GED
	dva-yám	n	falseness	GED
	dvadasa	nbr.card	twelve (12), lit. two (and) ten	GED
	dvi-	pfx	two	CDC
	dvi-kás	adj	two-part, consisting of two	GED
	dvita	adv/adj	twice, double	GED
	dvitiya	nbr.ord	second (2nd)	GED
	dvi-pád-	adj	two-footed	GED
	dvís	adv	twice	GED
	dvisthas	adj	ambiguous	GED
Tocharian
Tocharian B:	ikäm	nbr.card	twenty (20)	GED
	wate	nbr.ord	second (2nd)	EIE
	wi	nbr.card	two (2)	GED
Tocharian A:	wät	nbr.ord	second (2nd)	EIE
	wiki	nbr.card	twenty (20)	GED
	wu, wi	nbr.card	two (2)	GED

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

Abbrev.		Meaning
VI	=	class 6
adj	=	adjective
adv	=	adverb(ial)
card	=	cardinal
dial	=	dialectal
du	=	dual (number)
fem	=	feminine (gender)
masc	=	masculine (gender)
n	=	noun
nbr	=	number
neut	=	neuter (gender)
ord	=	ordinal
pfx	=	prefix
pl	=	plural (number)
prep	=	preposition
pron	=	pronoun
prop	=	proper
sfx	=	suffix
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)
CGo	=	MacDonald Stearns, Jr: Crimean Gothic (1978)
CID	=	Cassell's Italian Dictionary (1958)
EIE	=	J.P. Mallory and D.Q. Adams, eds. Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture (1997)
GED	=	Winfred P. Lehmann: A Gothic Etymological Dictionary (1986)
LRC	=	Linguistics Research Center, University of Texas, Austin
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)

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