Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/dīsiz

This Proto-Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Germanic

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *dʰéh₁s (“god”). Also possible relation to Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to suckle, nurse”) related to Russian деви́ца (devíca, “maiden, girl”).

Kroonen (2013, 97) states the following: “An etymologically problematic word. Some have compared OCS děva f. 'lady' < *dʰh₁-oi-ueh₂-, apparently derived from the stem *dʰh₁-oi- 'to suckle' (see *dīan-). This suggestion is perhaps supported by Elfd. disa w.v. 'to suckle' (whence dise f. 'nipple'?), although the origin of the s-suffix remains unclear. Within Germanic, *dīsi- can alternatively be linked to *edis- (q.v.), but this would imply that the word is of non-Indo-European origin.” He does not mention the Proto-Indo-European *dʰéh₁s (“god”) etymology.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdiːsiz/

Noun

*dīsiz f (North Germanic)

1. goddess
2. demi-goddess
3. noble or virtuous woman, virgin

Inflection

Declension of *dīsiz (i-stem)

	singular	plural
nominative	*dīsiz	*dīsīz
vocative	*dīsi	*dīsīz
accusative	*dīsį	*dīsinz
genitive	*dīsīz	*dīsijǫ̂
dative	*dīsī	*dīsimaz
instrumental	*dīsī	*dīsimiz

Synonyms

• *idisiz
• *gudinī

Descendants

• Old Norse: dís
  • Icelandic: dís
    • → English: dis
    • → Swedish: dis
  • Faroese: dís
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: dis
  • Old Swedish: dīsa- in dīsaþing (see disting)