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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B10 roots

Root	Meaning	Semantic Field	Confidence
bʰag-	to distribute, allot, share	distributionsocial	high
bʰeh₂g-	to apportion, to share	social	high
bʰendʰ-	to bind, to tie	makingsocial	high
bʰendʰ-eyo-	to keep binding, obligating	bindingsocial	high
bʰendʰ-mn̥-	a binding, bond, obligation	bindingsocial	high
bʰerǵ-	to hide, to protect	socialdwelling	high
bʰerǵʰ-	to hide, to protect, to fortify	structuressocial	high
bʰeydʰ-	to trust, to confide	mentalsocial	high
bʰréh₂tēr-yo-	of a brother, brotherly	kinshipsocial	high
bʰruHg-	to enjoy, to use	socialfood	high

D15 roots

deh₃-	to give, to bestow	actiontransfersocial	high	35
deh₃-eyo-	to keep giving, bestowing	givingsocial	high	0
deh₃-mn̥	gift, giving	givingsocial	high	0
deh₃-r-	to give, gift (extended)	givingsocialcommerce	high	0
deḱ-	to take, to accept	social	high	0
dek-es-	honor, glory, adornment	socialbeauty	high	0
dem-	house, household	dwellingsocial	high	29
deyk-	to throw, to build a wall	makingsocial	high	0
deyḱ-	to show, to point	mentalsocial	high	0
deyḱ-mn̥-	honor, worthiness, that which is fitting	socialvalue	high	0
dheh₁-k-	to take, to receive	social	medium	0
dʰeh₁-mn̥	that which is set down, law	sociallaw	high	0
dʰeḱ-	to receive, accept, be suitable	socialjudgmentbeauty	high	0
dʰwer-	door, gate	dwellingsocial	high	0
dʰwer-yo-	pertaining to doors, of the threshold	domesticboundarysocial	high	0

G27 roots

ǵenH-	to beget, be born, clan	birthkinshipsocial	high
ǵenh₁-os	clan, race, kind	kinshipsocial	high
ǵenh₁-s-	race, stock, clan	kinshipsocialbiology	high
ǵenh₁-tl-	birth-group, clan, noble family	socialkinship	high
ǵerh₂-	to cry out, to call	socialsenses	high
ǵerH-ont-	old one, elder	agesocial	high
ǵew-mn̥-	a joining, yoking, linkage	connectionsocial	high
gʰedʰ-	to unite, to join, to fit together	actionconnectionsocial	high
gʰeh₁-	to call, to invoke	mentalsocial	medium
gʰeh₁bʰ-	to seize, to give	socialmotion	high
gʰeh₂d-	to unite, join, fit	unionsocial	high
gʰeHd-mn̥-	a joining, meeting, gathering	socialunion	high
ǵher-	to enclose, grasp	enclosuresocialagriculture	high
gʰos-ti-	stranger, guest, host	social	high
ǵneh₃-tl-	of noble birth, well-known	socialstatusbirth	high
ǵneh₃-tó-	known, recognizable	cognitionsocial	high
gʷem-mn̥-	a coming, approach, convention	movementsocial	high
gʷenh₃-	woman, wife	personsocialgender	high
gʷenh₂-mn̥-	a woman, female person	kinshipsocial	high
gʷerh₂-	to praise, to welcome, grateful	qualitiessocial	medium
gʷerH-	to favor, praise, bless	socialreligionemotion	high
gʷerH-₂	to approve, welcome, praise	socialapproval	high
gʷerH-eyo-	to keep praising, showing favor	emotionsocial	high
gʷerH-mn̥-	praise, favor, thanks	emotionsocial	high
gʷerH-tó-	favored, pleasing	emotionsocial	high
gʷerH-tó-₃	praised, favored, thankful	emotionsocial	high
gwow-pero-	cattle-herder, cowherd	animalsocial	medium

H25 roots

h₂eǵ-	to drive, to lead	actionmotionsocial	high	22
h₂eǵ-ro-₃	driving place, marketplace	socialplace	high	0
h₃erbʰ-	to change, to turn over	social	medium	0
h₃erbʰ-ón-	one without inheritance, servant	socialdeprivation	high	0
h₂erh₃-	to plough, to till	socialagriculture	high	0
h₂ew-g-	to increase, to augment	growthsocial	high	0
h₂eyd-₂	to praise, revere	evaluationsocial	medium	0
h₁ger-	to collect, gather	gatheringsocial	high	0
h₁ḱew-	to be used to, accustom	habitsocial	high	0
h₁lewdʰ-	people, to grow	social	high	0
h₂lewdʰ-	to grow up, people, folk	socialgrowthpeople	high	0
h₁lewdʰ-ero-	free, of the people	socialfreedom	high	0
h₂leydʰ-	to grow, increase, free	freedomgrowthsocial	high	0
h₂leydʰ-tó-	freed, set free	freedomsociallaw	high	0
h₁neḱ-	to reach, to attain	motionsocial	high	0
h₂nḗr	man, vital force, hero	personbodysocial	high	0
h₂ner-	man, vital force	bodysocial	high	0
h₃órbʰos	orphan, bereft	kinshipsocial	high	0
h₁oyḱ-o-	household, dwelling unit	domesticsocial	high	0
h₃reǵ-	to straighten, to rule	sociallaw	high	0
h₃reǵ-s-	king, ruler	authoritylawsocial	high	0
h₂welh₁-	to wish, to choose	mentalsocial	high	0
h₁weydʰ-mn̥-	separation, division, widowhood	separationsocial	high	0
h₁widʰéwh₂	widow, separated one	kinshipsocial	high	0
h₂yew-	to join, yoke, bind by law	lawbindingsocial	high	0

K15 roots

ḱeh₂s-	to cut, castrate	cuttingsocialviolence	high	0
kelp-	to help, to hold	social	high	0
ḱens-	to proclaim, to speak solemnly	mentalsocial	high	0
ḱens-mn̥	proclamation, assessment	lawevaluationsocial	high	0
ḱerd-yo-	to believe, to trust	mentalsocial	high	0
ḱey-	to lie down, home, bed	socialdwelling	high	0
ḱeyH-	to set in motion, to impel	motionsocial	high	0
ḱleh₁-eyo-	to keep calling out, summoning	communicationsocial	high	0
ḱleh₁-mn̥-	a calling, summons	communicationsocial	high	0
ḱlew-	to hear, to listen	perceptionsocial	high	18
ḱlew-mn̥-₃	fame, renown, what is heard	reputationsocial	high	0
ḱley-ent-	leaning, one who leans toward	socialposition	high	0
krey-	to sieve, to separate	makingsocial	high	0
kʷel-eyo-	to keep turning, tending	agriculturesocial	high	0
kʷel-mn̥-₂	a turning, cultivation	agriculturesocial	high	0

L5 roots

leǵ-es-	law, that which is gathered/chosen	lawsocial	high
lew-	to cut, to loosen	makingsocial	high
lewdʰ-ero-	free, belonging to the people	socialfreedom	high
lewgʰ-mn̥-	a swearing, binding oath	socialoath	high
leyǵ-	to bind, to league	socialmaking	high

M3 roots

medʰu	mead, honey-wine, sweet drink	foodsocial	high	0
meǵ-	great, large	qualitysizesocial	high	25
mey-	to change, to exchange	socialmotion	high	0

N1 root

nem-

to assign, allot, take

distributionlawsocial

high

P11 roots

peh₂-	to protect, to feed	actionsustenancesocial	high	30
peh₂-ḱ-eyo-	to keep fastening, making peace	socialpeace	high	0
peh₂-ḱ-s-	established peace, agreement	socialpeace	high	0
peh₂-mn̥	that which feeds, food	foodsocial	high	0
pewh₂-	to purify, to cleanse	makingsocial	high	0
pewH-bʰl-	of the people, common	socialgovernance	high	0
pewH-bʰl-mn̥-	the people, public body	socialgovernance	high	0
pleh₂-ḱ-	to please, be agreeable	emotionsocial	high	0
preh₂-	to ask, to pray	mentalsocial	high	0
preyH-	to love, be pleased	emotionsocial	high	0
preyH-mn̥-	love, affection, freedom	emotionsocial	high	0

S9 roots

sed-	to sit, to be seated	positionsocial	high	0
sem-	one, together	numbersocial	high	0
sem-bʰl-	together, assembled	socialunity	high	0
sodh₂-	companion, follower	socialrelationship	high	0
speh₁-	to succeed, to prosper	socialmotion	high	0
spend-	to pour a libation, to make a treaty	ritualsocialaction	high	17
spendʰ-	to pour a libation, pledge solemnly	emotionritualsocial	high	0
spendʰ-mn̥-	a pledging, solemn promise	socialritual	high	0
sweh₂d-eyo-	to make one-s own, accustom	socialhabit	high	0

W11 roots

wedʰ-	to lead, to wed, to pledge	kinshipsocial	high
weh₁-dʰ-	to pledge, redeem	lawsocialbinding	high
weh₂k-eyo-	to keep calling, summoning	communicationsocial	high
weh₁ro-	true, trustworthy	qualitiessocial	high
weḱ-	to speak, to voice	socialmental	high
werg-	to work, to do	makingsocial	high
werh₁-	to speak, to say	mentalsocial	high
werh₃-mn̥-	a covering, ward, protection	protectionsocial	high
weyḱ-	house, settlement	dwellingsocial	high
weyḱ-tó-	conquered, defeated	conflictsocial	high
wreg-	to track, to pursue	motionsocial	medium