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
bel-	strong, powerful	qualities	medium
bʰerǵʰ-₂	high, elevated	qualitiesstructures	high
bʰosos	bare, naked	qualitiesappearance	medium

D3 roots

deru-₂	firm, solid, steadfast (as a tree)	qualitiesnature	high
dʰer-	to hold firm, to support	qualitiesstructures	high
dlh₁gʰó-	long, extended	qualities	high

G3 roots

gʷerh₂-	to praise, to welcome, grateful	qualitiessocial	medium
gʷʰer-	warm, hot, heated	qualitiesfire	high
gʷreh₂-	heavy, weighty	qualities	high

H4 roots

h₂enǵʰ-	narrow, tight, to constrict	qualities	high
h₂ōḱ-	sharp, fast, swift	qualitiesmotion	high
h₁weh₂-	empty, vain, abandoned	qualities	medium
h₂yuh₁en-	young, youthful	kinshipqualities	high

K2 roots

kart-	hard, strong	qualities	medium	0
keh₂w-	to burn, to be hot	qualitiesfire	high	0

L2 roots

lento-	slow, flexible, pliant	qualities	medium	0
leygʷʰ-	light (in weight), agile	qualities	high	0

M2 roots

meg-	big, great	qualities	high	0
mol-d-	soft, weak, to soften	qualities	medium	0

N1 root

new-

new, fresh

qualitiestime

high

P4 roots

piH-	fat, sap, to be fat	qualitiesfood	high
pleh₁-	to fill, full	qualities	high
pleh₂-	flat, broad, to spread	qualities	high
pr̥h₃wós	first, foremost	numbersqualities	high

R1 root

ret-

to run, to roll, round

qualitiesmotion

high

S5 roots

saws-	dry, to dry out	qualitiesnature	medium
senh₁-	old, aged, elder	qualitiestime	high
smeld-	to melt, smooth, soft	qualities	medium
steno-	narrow, constricted	qualities	medium
sweh₂d-	sweet, pleasant	qualitiesfood	high

T2 roots

tegʷ-	thick, fat	qualities	medium	0
ténh₂u-	thin, stretched, tender	qualities	high	0

W3 roots

weh₂k-	weak, to bend, to yield	qualities	medium
weh₁ro-	true, trustworthy	qualitiessocial	high
werh₂-	wide, broad	qualities	medium