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
bʰendʰ-	to bind, to tie	makingsocial	high	0
bʰreg-	to break, to shatter	makingmotion	high	0

D2 roots

deyk-	to throw, to build a wall	makingsocial	high	0
dʰeyǵʰ-	to mold, to form, to knead	making	high	0

G5 roots

gʰerd-	to enclose, to gird	makingdwelling	high
gʰrebʰ-	to seize, to grab	motionmaking	high
gʰrebʰ₂-	to write, to scratch	makingmental	high
gnebʰ-	to press, to pinch	motionmaking	medium
gʷelh₃-	to pierce, to sting, pain	bodymaking	medium

H1 root

h₁rewp-

to tear, to break

motionmaking

high

K5 roots

kelh₂-	to strike, to cut	making	high
kerp-	to pluck, to harvest	makingagriculture	high
kes-	to comb, to scratch	bodymaking	medium
ḱewd-	to hide, to conceal	mentalmaking	high
krey-	to sieve, to separate	makingsocial	high

L3 roots

lew-	to cut, to loosen	makingsocial	high
leyǵ-	to bind, to league	socialmaking	high
leyp-	to smear, to stick	makingbody	high

M2 roots

meh₁-	to measure	mentalmaking	high	0
melh₂-	to grind, to crush	makingfood	high	0

P2 roots

pewg-	to prick, to sting	bodymaking	high	0
pewh₂-	to purify, to cleanse	makingsocial	high	0

S2 roots

skel-	to cut, to split	making	high	0
skey-	to cut, to split	motionmaking	high	0

T4 roots

teks-	to fashion, to weave	makingtextile	high
temh₁-	to cut, to sever	making	high
ten-	to stretch, to pull	makingmotion	high
trewd-	to press, to push, to thrust	motionmaking	high

W4 roots

webʰ-	to weave, to braid	makingtextile	high
werg-	to work, to do	makingsocial	high
werǵ-	to squeeze, to press	makingmotion	high
weyk-	to bend, to wind	makingmotion	high

Other1 root

(s)tew-

to push, to strike

makingmotion

high