Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/peḱ-

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 1

Root

*peḱ-

1. to pluck (wool, hair)

Derived terms

Terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *peḱ- (pluck) (15 c, 0 e)

• *péḱ-ti
  • Hellenic:
    • Ancient Greek: πέκω (pékō, “to comb”)
• *peḱ-te-ti (perhaps by metathesis from *petḱ- < *pe-pḱ- or the same seen in *pléḱ-te-ti)
  • Proto-Germanic: *fehtaną (“to comb, detangle, struggle”)
  • Hellenic:
    • Ancient Greek: πεκτέω (pektéō, “to shear”)
  • Proto-Italic: *pektō
    • Latin: pectō (“to comb”)
• *pḱ-t-ḗn (see there for further descendants)
• *poḱ-os-
  • Proto-Germanic: *fahaz (“sheep”) (see there for further descendants)
• *poḱ-o-
  • Hellenic:
    • Ancient Greek: πόκος (pókos)
• *poḱ-ti-
  • Proto-Germanic: *fahtiz (“fleece”) (see there for further descendants)
• *poḱ-s-om
  • Proto-Germanic: *fahsą (see there for further descendants)
• *poḱ-s-mn̥
  • Proto-Indo-Iranian: *páćšma (see there for further descendants)

Unsorted formations

• Balto-Slavic:
  • Lithuanian: pešù, pèšti (“to pluck, tear (of hair)”), iterative pašýti (“to brawl”)

Etymology 2

Root

*peḱ-

Benveniste (1969: 47-61) proposed that the primary meaning was "movable property, wealth", with a secondary meaning of "livestock" simply because this was how wealth was measured by the Proto-Indo-Europeans (and many descendant cultures). In corroboration, Kim McCone (1991:43-44) highlights wealth- and/or status-oriented terms such as Old Irish (am)bue, Homeric Greek -boios, and Sanskrit -guh.

1. wealth
2. livestock

Derived terms

Terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *peḱ- (livestock) (27 c, 0 e)

• *peḱ-u
• *péḱ-os ~ *péḱ-es-os
  • Proto-Hellenic: *pékos
    • Ancient Greek: πέκος (pékos, “fleece, wool”)
  • Proto-Italic: *pekos
    • Latin: pecus (“cattle”) (see there for further descendants)

Etymology 3

Root

*peḱ-

1. joyful
2. pretty

Derived terms

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

• *peḱ- (root present)
  • Proto-Germanic: *fehaną (“to rejoice”) (see there for further descendants)
• *poḱ-éye- (causative)
  • Proto-Germanic: *fagjaną (“to please”) (see there for further descendants)
  • Balto-Slavic:
    • Lithuanian: púošiu (“adorn”)

Unsorted formations

• Celtic:
  • >? Middle Irish: āil (“pleasant”) (perhaps)
• Germanic:
  • Old Norse: fága (“adorn, polish”)
    • Icelandic: fága
  • Gothic: 𐍆𐌰𐌷𐌴𐌸𐍃 (fahēþs, “joy”)