Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/met-

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

Part of the same group of roots as *meh₁- (“to measure”), *med- (“to estimate, judge”). (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Root

*met-

2. to cut (by measure) (with an inherent sense of by measurement or time: "to cut down" > "to mow"; "to cut into" > "plow")

Derived terms

Terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *met- (5 c, 0 e)

• *met-eti
  • Proto-Celtic: *meteti
  • Proto-Italic: *metō
    • Latin: metō
• *met-el-
  • Proto-Celtic: *metelā (“reapers (collective)”)
    • Proto-Brythonic: *medel
    • Middle Irish: methel
      • Irish: meitheal
• *met-l̥-yom (possibly) (with secondary collective suffix *-yom)
  • Ancient Greek: μέταλλον (métallon, “mine, quarry”) (quarries generally require measured cutting)
• *mot-i-
  • Proto-Italic:
    • Latin: mateola (“wooden hammer or agricultural implement”)
  • Proto-Germanic: *maþilō (“plough”)
  • Proto-Balto-Slavic:
    • Proto-Slavic: *motỳka (“hoe”)
• *mot-né-
  • Proto-Germanic: *mattukaz (“ploughshare, mattock”)

References

• Pokorny, Julius (1959), Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 2, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, pages 703-704
• Rix, Helmut, editor (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben [Lexicon of Indo-European Verbs] (in German), 2nd edition, Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, →ISBN, page 442