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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B11 roots

Root	Meaning	Semantic Field	Confidence
bʰeh₂-w-	to shine forth, to appear	lightcognition	high
bʰerǵ-eyo-	to keep brightening, shining	lightquality	high
bʰewk-	to shine, gleam	lightsignal	medium
bʰleg-	to shine, burn, flash	firelight	high
bʰlēg-	to shine, to gleam, to burn	colorlight	high
bʰleg-eyo-	to keep burning, blazing	firelight	high
bʰleg-mn̥-₂	blaze, shining fire	firelight	high
bʰleh₁-g-	to set on fire, to blaze	firelight	high
bʰleh₁g-	to shine, to be blessed	religionrituallight	medium
bʰleḱ-	to flash, lightning flash	weatherlight	high
bʰlewk-	to shine, to flash white	lightcolor	high

D3 roots

dʰergʰ-	to make dark, to dim, to obscure	lightcolor	high
dʰewb-₃	deep, dark, hidden from light	lightlandscape	high
dyew-	to shine (as divine sky), divine	religionrituallight	high

G8 roots

gʰel-₂	to shine, glow, be yellow/green	colorlight	high
ǵʰel-	to shine, yellow, green	naturelightcolor	high
gʰel-eyo-	to keep shining, gilding	lightcolor	high
gʰel-it-	to sparkle, to flash with light	lightvision	medium
gʰel-mn̥-	a shining, gleam, golden thing	lightmaterial	high
gʰel-wo-	shining yellow-green color	lightcolor	high
gʰleyd-	to gleam, to shine intermittently	lightvision	medium
gʷheh₂-	to shine, appear, seem	lightappearance	high

H15 roots

h₂erg-	to shine, white, silver	naturelightcolor	high
h₂erǵ-₂	to be bright, white, shining	colorlightmetal	high
h₂erǵ-ey-	to gleam white, to be silvery	colorlight	high
h₂erǵ-eyo-₂	to make shine, polish, clarify	lightclarification	medium
h₂erǵ-mn̥-	bright thing, shining object	colorlight	medium
h₂erǵ-y-	silver, shining metal	metalmateriallight	high
h₂ergʷ-	to be bright, sparkle	lightcolormetal	medium
h₂ew-r-	dawn light, early morning	timelight	high
h₂ew-s-mn̥	the early light, dawn	lighttime	high
h₂ewg-	to shine, see	visionlightbody	high
h₂ews-r-	dawn, morning	timelightdirection	high
H₂eydʰ-	to burn, to kindle a fire	firelight	medium
h₃regʷ-	to cover with darkness	light	medium
h₂ster-mn̥-₂	a star, celestial light	celestiallight	high
h₂wes-	to shine, dawn	lighttimedirection	high

K3 roots

ḱwey-d-	to shine white, to be bright	colorlight	high
ḱwey-t-	to shine, be bright, white	colorlight	high
ḱweyt-₂	to glow, shine brightly	colorlight	high

L8 roots

lewk-₂	to shine, illuminate	lightcelestial	high
lewk-es-	brightness, light quality	lightquality	high
lewk-eyo-	to keep shining, illuminating	lightclarity	high
lewk-mn̥	light, illumination	light	high
lewk-mn̥-₂	a light, lamp, illumination	lighttool	high
lewk-s-	light, brightness (nominal)	light	high
lewk-tó-	brightness, shining substance	light	high
lewk-tro-	light-bearing, lamp	lighttool	high

M1 root

merk-

to become dark, to flicker and go out

light

medium

R1 root

rewk-

to be bright, light

naturelight

medium

S3 roots

skeh₁-mn̥	a shadow, a reflection	lightvision	medium
skeh₂-mn̥-	a shade, shadow, phantom	lightdarkness	medium
skey-h₂-	to cast a shadow, to shade	lightvision	high

T1 root

temh₁-s-

darkness, the dark time

lighttime

medium