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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B2 roots

Root	Meaning	Semantic Field	Confidence	Descendants
bʰerǵ-es-	protection, a guarantee	lawsociety	medium	0
bʰerh₂-mn̥	an opening made by boring	actionlaw	high	0

D15 roots

deh₁-mn̥-₆	something set down, an established law	law	medium
deh₃-mn̥-₂	a giving, a portion allotted	lawexchange	high
deh₃-tl-₂	means of giving, dispensation	exchangelaw	high
deh₁-yt-	something owed, a binding obligation	lawexchange	high
deyḱ-₂	to show, point out, pronounce solemnly	speechlawcommunication	high
deyḱ-mn̥	the act of showing, a sample	communicationlaw	high
deyḱ-tl-	instrument for pointing, indication device	communicationlaw	high
dheH-mn̥	that which is placed, law, custom	lawcustomplacement	high
dʰeh₁-mn̥	that which is set down, law	sociallaw	high
dʰeh₁-mn̥-₂	established custom, law	lawcustom	high
dʰeh₁-mn̥-₄	established rule, that which is set	lawjudgment	high
dʰeh₁-mn̥-ǵ-	a law, customary practice	lawsociety	medium
dʰeh₁-s-mn̥	divine law, what is laid down by gods	religionlaw	high
dʰeh₁-tl-	instrument of placing, that which is established	actionlaw	high
dʰer-mn̥-₂	a holding, something firmly fixed	societylaw	high

G3 roots

ǵheh₁-	to release, to let go	actionlaw	medium
gʰendʰ-mn̥	act of seizing, an arrest	actionlaw	high
ǵheysd-₂	to strike, wound	cuttingviolencelaw	high

H13 roots

h₂eǵ-es-	law, binding custom	lawcustom	medium
h₃erbʰ-mn̥	something inherited, patrimony	kinshiplaw	high
h₂leg-eyo-	to keep collecting, choosing by law	lawselection	high
h₂leydʰ-tó-	freed, set free	freedomsociallaw	high
h₂reǵ-	to straighten, to direct, to rule	lawsociety	high
h₃reǵ-	to straighten, to rule	sociallaw	high
h₃reǵ-₂	to stretch, reach, rule	powerauthoritylaw	high
h₃reǵ-mn̥	rule, direction, standard	lawmeasurementauthority	high
h₃reǵ-s-	king, ruler	authoritylawsocial	high
h₃reǵ-tó-	straightened, directed, right	directionmorallaw	high
h₁reḱ-	to be straight, direct, right	directionmorallaw	high
h₁wegʷʰ-	to speak solemnly, vow	speechrituallaw	high
h₂yew-	to join, yoke, bind by law	lawbindingsocial	high

K13 roots

ḱeh₂d-₂	to fall, drop, happen	movementfatelaw	high
keh₃l-mn̥	what is called, a name or summons	communicationlaw	medium
keh₂p-tó-	seized, taken, caught	acquisitionlaw	high
keh₂p-tó-₂	something seized, taken by force	actionlaw	high
ḱens-mn̥	proclamation, assessment	lawevaluationsocial	high
kerd-	to believe firmly, to trust as true	religionlaw	high
ḱlep-	to steal, to take secretly	actionlaw	high
krey-h₂-	to sift, separate, judge	judgmentseparationlaw	high
krey-mn̥	that which separates, judgment	lawjudgmentseparation	high
krey-mn̥-₂	an accusation, a crying out	lawcommunication	high
ḱrey-mn̥-₂	a sifting, separation, judgment	judgmentlaw	high
kʷeh₁-mn̥	that which is sought, question	inquirylaw	high
kʷey-₂	to value, avenge, punish	punishmentlawvalue	high

L3 roots

leǵ-es-	law, that which is gathered/chosen	lawsocial	high
legh-mn̥	something laid down, a rule	lawsociety	high
leyǵ-₂	to bind, to tie together in alliance	lawsociety	high

N1 root

nem-

to assign, allot, take

distributionlawsocial

high

P8 roots

peh₂-ḱ-	to fasten, make peace	peacelawbinding	high
peh₂-ḱ-mn̥	act of fastening, an agreement	lawsociety	high
peh₂ǵ-	to fasten, fix, make firm	bindinglawpeace	high
peHǵ-	to fix, fasten firmly	bindingsettlementlaw	high
peHǵ-mn̥-₂	act of fixing, a fastening	constructionlaw	high
peh₂ḱ-	to fasten, to join in peace	lawsociety	high
pewH-n-₂	a purifying or cleansing agent	lawmedicine	high
pewH-n-eyo-	to keep punishing, purifying	lawpunishment	high

S4 roots

sed-mn̥	act of sitting, a session	positionlaw	high
seh₂g-mn̥-₂	a seeking, a legal suit	lawaction	high
sekʷ-mn̥-₃	act of following, a sequence	motionlaw	high
steh₂-tó-	stood, standing, placed	stasispositionlaw	high

T1 root

treh₂w-

to trust, to be faithful

lawsociety

high

W5 roots

weh₁-d-	to pledge, to guarantee	lawexchange	high
weh₁-dʰ-	to pledge, redeem	lawsocialbinding	high
weh₁-r-	to speak truly, to declare as fact	communicationlaw	high
welh₁-mn̥	choice, act of willing	cognitionlaw	high
werdʰ-	to speak, to say formally	communicationlaw	high

Y1 root

yewH-es-

law, sacred bond, oath

lawoath

high