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	Descendants
bʰer-	to carry, to bear	actionmotiontransfer	high	37
bʰleh₁-	to blow, to puff	motionnature	high	0
bʰredʰ-	to wade through, to cross water on foot	landscapemotion	medium	0
bʰreg-	to break, to shatter	makingmotion	high	0

D3 roots

dewk-	to pull, to lead by pulling	societymotion	high
dʰenh₂-	to flow, to run (liquid)	waterliquidmotion	medium
dʰreǵ-₂	to pull, to drag along the ground	actionmotion	high

G12 roots

gʰeh₁-bʰ-	to grasp, to take	motion	medium	0
gʰeh₁bʰ-	to seize, to give	socialmotion	high	0
gʰrebʰ-	to seize, to grab	motionmaking	high	0
gʰredʰ-	to go, to step forward	motion	high	0
gnebʰ-	to press, to pinch	motionmaking	medium	0
gʷeh₂-d-	to step, to go forward	motion	high	0
gweh₃-mn̥	act of going, movement	motion	high	0
gʷeh₂-s-	to step on, to tread	motion	high	0
gʷeh₂-tl-	means of going, passage	motionconstruction	medium	0
gʷem-	to come, to go	motionaction	high	32
gʷem-mn̥	a step, act of coming	motion	high	0
gʷredʰ-	to stride, to walk with purpose	motion	high	0

H21 roots

h₂eǵ-	to drive, to lead	actionmotionsocial	high	22
h₂ekʷ-mn̥	something following, a consequence	motiontime	high	0
h₁er-	to set in motion, to stir up for war	warmotion	medium	0
h₁ers-	to be in motion, to flow	motion	high	0
h₁ey-	to go, to walk, to move	motion	high	0
h₁ey-mn̥	a going forth, passage	motion	high	0
h₂ey-mn̥	a going, a journey	motion	medium	0
h₁ey-tl-	means of going, pathway	motionsociety	high	0
h₂ey-tl-	means of going, a passage	motionconstruction	medium	0
h₃eyh₁-	to go forth, to set in motion	motion	medium	0
h₁nek-	to reach, to attain, to carry to completion	measurementmotion	medium	0
h₁neḱ-	to reach, to attain	motionsocial	high	0
h₂ōḱ-	sharp, fast, swift	qualitiesmotion	high	0
h₁rewp-	to tear, to break	motionmaking	high	0
h₁reydʰ-	to ride, to move while mounted	motiontransport	high	0
h₁reydʰ-mn̥	an expedition, a mounted journey	motiontransport	high	0
h₂reyH-	to flow, to run as a stream	watermotion	high	0
h₂wegʰ-mn̥	something moved, a vehicle	transportmotion	high	0
h₂welh₂-mn̥	act of turning, revolution	motion	high	0
h₂welh₁-n-	to roll, to turn over	motion	high	0
h₁weyp-	to tremble, to vibrate, to wrap around	motionanimal	high	0

K11 roots

kap-	to seize, to grab	motionhand	high
keh₂d-₃	to fall, to drop down	motion	high
keh₂d-es-	act of falling, downward motion	motion	high
kel-	to drive, to set in motion	motion	high
ḱelh₁-	to rise, to be elevated	motionnature	high
ḱem-mn̥	a coming, arrival	motion	high
ḱeyH-	to set in motion, to impel	motionsocial	high
ḱley-	to lean, to incline	motionposition	high
ḱop-	hoof, to strike	bodyanimalmotion	medium
krewp-₂	to crawl, to creep close to ground	motionbody	high
kʷel-	to turn, to move around, to cultivate	foodagriculturemotion	high

M2 roots

mewH-	to push away, to remove	motion	high	0
mey-	to change, to exchange	socialmotion	high	0

P9 roots

ped-	foot, lower extremity	bodymotion	high	27
ped-mn̥	act of stepping, a foot-journey	bodymotion	high	0
pent-h₂	to tread, to find a way	motionlandscape	high	0
per-	forward, through, far	positionrelationmotion	high	0
per-mn̥	act of crossing, a trial	motioncognition	high	0
peth₂-	to fly, to fall	motion	high	0
peth₁-n-	a falling, a misfortune	motion	high	0
plew-	to flow, to swim	motionwater	high	0
pṓnts	bridge, path, way	structuresmotion	high	0

R1 root

ret-

to run, to roll, round

qualitiesmotion

high

S12 roots

sekʷ-mn̥-₃	act of following, a sequence	motionlaw	high
ser-	to flow, to move	motionwater	high
skewb-	to push, to shove	actionmotion	medium
skey-	to cut, to split	motionmaking	high
speh₁-	to succeed, to prosper	socialmotion	high
speh₁-d-	to succeed, to prosper, to have space	motionmeasurement	high
speh₁-r-	to stretch outward, to scatter widely	actionmotion	high
sprenǵʰ-	to spring up, to burst forth	waterliquidmotion	medium
stew-r-	a post, a pillar standing firm	constructionmotion	high
steyg-	to stride, to climb	motion	high
swem-	to swim, to be in motion	motionwater	high
sweyp-	to sweep, to swing in an arc	actionmotion	high

T4 roots

ten-	to stretch, to pull	makingmotion	high
terh₁-	to cross, to overcome	motionmental	high
terh₂-	to cross over, to pass through	positionrelationmotion	high
trewd-	to press, to push, to thrust	motionmaking	high

W10 roots

weǵʰ-	to carry in a vehicle, to transport	transportmotion	high
weh₂-gʰ-	to move on water, to sail	watermotion	medium
weh₂gʰ-	to move in waves, to waver	waterliquidmotion	medium
werǵ-	to squeeze, to press	makingmotion	high
wert-	to turn, to wind	motion	high
wert-₂	to turn, to become, to change into	motioncognition	high
wert-es-	a turning, change of direction	bodymotion	high
weyk-	to bend, to wind	makingmotion	high
weyp-mn̥	act of trembling, vibration	motionanimal	medium
wreg-	to track, to pursue	motionsocial	medium

Other1 root

(s)tew-

to push, to strike

makingmotion

high