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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B4 roots

Root	Meaning	Semantic Field	Confidence
bʰergh-mn̥	something high, mountain	landscape	high
bʰerǵʰ-mn̥-	height, elevated place	landscapeelevation	high
bʰredʰ-	to wade through, to cross water on foot	landscapemotion	medium
bʰruH-	beam, bridge structure, plank	constructionlandscape	medium

D4 roots

dhelbh-	to dig, to hollow out	landscapeaction	high
dʰembʰ-	to bury, to dig into earth	landscapeaction	medium
dʰewb-₃	deep, dark, hidden from light	lightlandscape	high
dʰeyǵʰ-mn̥-₃	a wall, thing built of clay	constructionlandscape	high

G3 roots

ǵher-mn̥	an enclosure, fenced yard	dwellinglandscape	high
gʰrewb-	to dig, to scratch the ground	actionlandscape	high
gʷelH-₂	to drip, to spring forth as a well	waterlandscape	high

H9 roots

h₂eǵ-ro-₂	field, open grazing land	agriculturelandscape	high
h₂ekʷeh₂-	water, body of water	waterlandscape	high
h₂ep-ero-	shore, bank, further side	landscapewater	high
h₂ep-es-	river, flowing water	waterlandscape	high
h₂erh₃-mn̥	the plowed thing, a field	agriculturelandscape	high
h₂erh₃-mn̥-	plowed field, tillable ground	agriculturelandscape	medium
h₁eyǵ-	icy, to be covered in ice	weatherlandscape	high
h₂neǵʰ-	reed-bed, marshy ground near water	landscape	medium
h₂ster-mn̥	something spread, a layer	landscapeconstruction	high

K7 roots

ḱap-mn̥-	a field, cleared ground	landscapemilitary	high
ḱeh₂k-mn̥	an enclosure, hedge	agriculturelandscape	medium
kelh₁-mn̥	something elevated, a peak	landscape	medium
ḱelh₂-mn̥-	high point, summit, peak	elevationlandscape	high
kelh₁-s-	to be prominent, to tower	societylandscape	medium
ḱewh₁-mn̥	a mound, piled-up earth	landscape	medium
kolh₁-	hill, elevated ground	landscapegeography	high

L1 root

lendʰ-

open land, heath

landscape

high

M1 root

mori-₂

body of standing water, lake or sea

waterlandscape

high

P6 roots

peh₂-tro-₂	rock, stone, bedrock	materiallandscape	high
pelh₁-mn̥-	ground, floor, flat earth	landscapesurface	high
pent-h₂	to tread, to find a way	motionlandscape	high
pertu-	crossing place, ford	landscapetransport	high
pleh₂-es-	flat expanse, an open area	landscapedwelling	high
pleh₂-mn̥-₂	flat open ground, a plain	landscape	high

S1 root

steh₂-n-

hard standing substance, rock

landscapematerial

high

T2 roots

terh₂-s-	to be dry, to parch	bodylandscape	high	0
terh₁-s-mn̥-	dry land, earth, territory	landscapeearth	high	0

W1 root

wer-s-

high point, summit, height

landscape

medium