Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₁widʰéwh₂

This Proto-Indo-European 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-Indo-European

Etymology

A derivative of the root *h₁weydʰh₁- (“to separate”), given that widows are irreversibly separated from their husbands.

Noun

*h₁widʰéwh₂ f

1. widow

Reconstruction notes

De Vaan disputes the existence of this word as a feminine noun in PIE, as the Latin and Greek forms point to a thematic adjective *h₁widʰ(h₁)éwos which could be substantivized for people of either gender.

Inflection

Athematic, proterokinetic
	singular
nominative	*h₁widʰéwh₂s
genitive	*h₁widʰwéh₂s
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*h₁widʰéwh₂s	*h₁widʰéwh₂h₁(e)	*h₁widʰéwh₂es
vocative	*h₁widʰéwh₂	*h₁widʰéwh₂h₁(e)	*h₁widʰéwh₂es
accusative	*h₁widʰéwh₂m̥	*h₁widʰéwh₂h₁(e)	*h₁widʰéwh₂m̥s
genitive	*h₁widʰwéh₂s	*?	*h₁widʰwéh₂oHom
ablative	*h₁widʰwéh₂s	*?	*h₁widʰwéh₂mos, *h₁widʰwéh₂bʰos
dative	*h₁widʰwéh₂ey	*?	*h₁widʰwéh₂mos, *h₁widʰwéh₂bʰos
locative	*h₁widʰwéh₂, *h₁widʰwéh₂i	*?	*h₁widʰwéh₂su
instrumental	*h₁widʰwéh₂h₁	*?	*h₁widʰwéh₂mis, *h₁widʰwéh₂bʰis

Alternative reconstructions

• *h₁widʰéweh₂

Descendants

• Proto-Albanian: *widewā
  • Old Albanian: vejë
    • Albanian: ve
• Proto-Balto-Slavic: *widewāˀ
  • Old Prussian: widdewū
  • Proto-Slavic: *vьdova (see there for further descendants)
• Proto-Celtic: *widwā (see there for further descendants)
• Proto-Germanic: *widuwǭ f (see there for further descendants); *widuwô m
• Proto-Hellenic: *ewítʰewos m; *ewitʰéwā f
  • Aeolic Greek: ἠΐθεος m (ēḯtheos); ἠϊθέη f (ēïthéē)
  • Attic–Ionic Greek: ἠΐθεος (ēḯtheos), ᾔθεος (ēítheos)
  • Doric Greek: ᾄθεος (āítheos, hyperdoricism)
• Proto-Indo-Iranian: *HwidʰáwaH (see there for further descendants)
• Proto-Italic: *wiðowos (“unmarried”, adjective); *wiðowā f
  • Latin: viduus; vidua (see there for further descendants)