Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/knībaz

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 *gneybʰ- (“to pinch, nip”), from Proto-Indo-European *gen- (“to pinch, squeeze, bend, press, ball up”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkniː.βɑz/

Noun

*knībaz m

1. pincers; shears
2. knife

   Synonyms: *dalkaz, *sahsą

Inflection

masculine a-stemDeclension of *knībaz (masculine a-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*knībaz	*knībōz, *knībōs
vocative	*knīb	*knībōz, *knībōs
accusative	*knībą	*knībanz
genitive	*knības, *knībis	*knībǫ̂
dative	*knībai	*knībamaz
instrumental	*knībō	*knībamiz

Related terms

• *knībaną
• *knīpaną

Descendants

• Proto-West Germanic: *knīb
  • Old English: cnīf (possible reborrowing from Old Norse knífr or Middle Dutch cnīf, cnijf)
    • Middle English: knyf, knif
      • Scots: knyfe, knife
      • English: knife
        • Sranan Tongo: nefi
      • Yola: kunnife
      • → French: canif
  • Old Frisian: *knīf
    • West Frisian: kniif, knyf, knyft
  • Old Saxon: *knīf
    • Middle Low German: knîf
      • German Low German: Knief
      • Low German: knief, kniiv, knif
      • Plautdietsch: Kjnief
  • Old Dutch: *cnīf
    • Middle Dutch: cnijf
      • Dutch: knijf (dialectal)
  • Old High German: *knīb (?)
    • Middle High German: knîp; knîf (latter West Central German)
      • German: Kneip (dialectal); Knifte
      • Luxembourgish: Knäip
  • → Vulgar Latin: *cnīfus (see there for further descendants)
• Proto-Norse: *ᚲᚾᛁᛒᚨᛉ (*knibaʀ)
  • Old Norse: knífr
    • Icelandic: knífur, hnífur
    • Faroese: knívur
    • Norwegian:
      • Norwegian Bokmål: kniv
      • Norwegian Nynorsk: kniv
    • Elfdalian: knaiv
    • Old Swedish: knīver
      • Swedish: kniv
    • Danish: kniv
    • Gutnish: kneiv
    • → Old English: cnīf
      • Middle English: knyf, knif
        • Scots: knyfe, knife
        • English: knife
          • Sranan Tongo: nefi
        • Yola: kunnife
        • → French: canif
    • → North Frisian: Knif
  • → Proto-Samic: *nijpē
    • Western Samic:
      • Southern Sami: nejpie (from *nëjpē)
      • Ume Sami: nijbbie
      • Pite Sami: nijjbe
      • Lule Sami: nijbbe
      • Northern Sami: niibi
    • Eastern Samic:
      • Inari Sami: nijbe
      • Skolt Sami: neiʹbb
      • Akkala Sami: ныййпь (nyjjp’)
      • Kildin Sami: ныййп (nyjjp)
      • Ter Sami: nijjbe