PIE Roots

An index of reconstructed Proto-Indo-European roots. Each entry links to a full page with descendant tables, sound law references, and scholarly discussion.

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B3 roots

Root	Meaning	Semantic Field	Confidence
bʰlēg-	to shine, to gleam, to burn	colorlight	high
bʰleh₁-wo-	yellow, golden-hued	colorappearance	medium
bʰlewk-	to shine, to flash white	lightcolor	high

D3 roots

dʰeh₁-gʷʰ-	to burn, to be warm, dark from burning	colorfire	medium
dheHl-	to bloom, be green	plantgrowthcolor	medium
dʰergʰ-	to make dark, to dim, to obscure	lightcolor	high

G9 roots

gʰel-₂	to shine, glow, be yellow/green	colorlight	high
ǵhel-₃	to grow, be green, vigorous	growthcolorplant	high
ǵʰel-	to shine, yellow, green	naturelightcolor	high
gʰel-eyo-	to keep shining, gilding	lightcolor	high
gʰel-tó-	bright yellow substance, gold	materialcolor	high
gʰel-wo-	shining yellow-green color	lightcolor	high
gʰelh₃-	to shine, yellow, green, gold	colorappearance	high
gʰelh₃-wo-	yellow, greenish	colorappearance	high
gʰreh₁-dʰ-	to grow green, sprout	plantgrowthcolor	high

H17 roots

h₂elbʰ-	white, pale, bright	colorappearance	high
h₂erg-	to shine, white, silver	naturelightcolor	high
h₂erǵ-	to be white, to shine	colornature	high
h₂erǵ-₂	to be bright, white, shining	colorlightmetal	high
h₂erǵ-ent-	shining white, silver-colored	colormaterial	high
h₂erǵ-ey-	to gleam white, to be silvery	colorlight	high
h₂erǵ-mn̥-	bright thing, shining object	colorlight	medium
h₂erǵ-nt-	shining, white, silver	colormetalmaterial	high
h₂erǵ-nt-₂	the shining white metal, silver	materialcolor	high
h₂erǵ-tó-	shining, gleaming white	colormaterial	high
h₂erǵ-tó-₂	shining, white, bright silver	colormaterial	high
h₂erǵ-uro-	white, gleaming (of metal)	colormaterial	high
h₂ergʷ-	to be bright, sparkle	lightcolormetal	medium
h₁rewdʰ-	red, ruddy	colorappearance	high
h₁rewdʰ-mn̥-	redness, ruddy color	colormaterial	high
h₁rewdʰ-ro-	red-colored, ruddy	colorappearance	high
h₁rudʰ-	to be red, ruddy	colorbody	high

K12 roots

ḱeh₁-ro-	grey, old and grey-haired	colortime	medium
ḱeh₁-smen-	gray, ash-colored	colortexture	medium
ḱeh₂s-mn̥	a grey animal, the hare	animalcolor	medium
ḱerh₂-	gray, dark color	coloranimals	medium
krsnó-	black, dark	colorappearance	medium
ḱwey-d-	to shine white, to be bright	colorlight	high
ḱwey-mn̥-	shining, holy, white thing	colorpurity	medium
ḱwey-t-	to shine, be bright, white	colorlight	high
ḱwey-tó-₂	shining, holy, bright	colorreligion	medium
ḱweyt-	white, bright, to shine	colorappearance	high
ḱweyt-₂	to glow, shine brightly	colorlight	high
ḱyeh₁-wo-	dark, blue-gray	colorappearance	medium

P2 roots

peynt-	to paint, decorate with color	artcolor	high	0
polH-	pale, gray, fallow	colorappearance	high	0

R1 root

rewdʰ-

to be red, to redden

color

high

S1 root

sweid-

to shine, bright, white

colorappearance

medium