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
bʰerdʰ-	to cut, split, separate	cuttingmaterial	high
bʰerǵ-s-	to protect by enclosing	materialnature	medium
bʰreg-mn̥	that which breaks, fragment	destructionmaterial	high

D5 roots

deru-	tree, wood, to be firm	naturequalitymaterial	high	23
dʰeyǵʰ-mn̥-₂	wall, thing built from clay	domesticconstructionmaterial	high	0
dʰrew-	to be firm, to be solid	materialemotion	high	0
dóru	tree, wood, oak	naturematerialplant	high	0
doru-mn̥-	beam, timber, spear-shaft	plantmaterial	high	0

G4 roots

gʰel-mn̥-	a shining, gleam, golden thing	lightmaterial	high
gʰel-tó-	bright yellow substance, gold	materialcolor	high
gʰley-	to smear, to stick, to be gluey	materialaction	high
gʰrendʰ-	to grind, crush	foodactionmaterial	high

H17 roots

h₂eḱ-mn̥	sharp stone, thunderbolt	materialweather	high
h₂erǵ-ent-	shining white, silver-colored	colormaterial	high
h₂erǵ-mn̥-₂	shining substance, money	materialexchange	medium
h₂erǵ-nt-	shining, white, silver	colormetalmaterial	high
h₂erǵ-nt-₂	the shining white metal, silver	materialcolor	high
h₂erǵ-nt-om	the white metal, silver, money	materialexchange	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
h₂erǵ-y-	silver, shining metal	metalmateriallight	high
h₂ey-es-	metal, bronze, copper ore	materialmetallurgy	high
h₂eyos-	metal, copper, bronze	metalmaterial	high
h₂eyos-₂	copper, bronze metal	materialtechnology	medium
h₂ley-	to grind, to crush into powder	actionmaterial	medium
h₁ludʰ-	to grow, rise	growthmaterial	medium
h₁rewdʰ-mn̥-	redness, ruddy color	colormaterial	high
h₁wes-mn̥-	garment, covering worn	materialclothing	high

K9 roots

keh₂d-mn̥-	smelted metal, slag, crude material	materialmetallurgy	medium
ḱeh₂s-mn̥-	cut stone, hewn block	materialconstruction	high
kelh₂-mo-	stalk, stem, reed	plantmaterial	medium
kerH-eyo-	to keep heating, burning	firematerial	high
kerh₂-mn̥	thing made from horn, horn vessel	materialbody	high
ḱerh₂-mn̥-₂	horn instrument, trumpet call	soundmaterial	medium
ḱerh₂-tl-	hardened thing, potsherd	material	medium
krew-mn̥-₂	blood-mass, gore, raw flesh	bodymaterial	high
krewH-es-	raw flesh, bloody mass	bodymaterial	high

L1 root

leyH-n-

smooth fabric, linen-like

texturematerialdomestic

high

M2 roots

meh₁-tl-	instrument for cutting, middle point	materialtool	high	0
mewk-	to slip, to be slimy	bodymaterial	high	0

P3 roots

peh₂-tro-₂	rock, stone, bedrock	materiallandscape	high
pelh₁-	skin, membrane, thin covering	materialbody	high
plew-k-mn̥-	feathery, downy, fluffy	texturematerial	high

S5 roots

seh₂l-s-	the salty substance, brine	foodmaterial	high
steh₂-men-	fixed thread, upright loom-thread	craftmaterial	high
steh₂-n-	hard standing substance, rock	landscapematerial	high
stey-	to be stiff, compressed, stone	materialrigidity	high
streH-mn̥	that which is spread, layer	materialextension	high

T2 roots

teks-tro-	woven thing, interlaced material	craftmaterial	high	0
ten-mn̥	something stretched, a thin surface	materialmeasurement	high	0

W1 root

webʰ-mn̥-₂

woven thing, fabric

craftmaterial

high