𐌀𐌀𐌐𐌀

From Proto-Italic *āpā, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ēp-eh₂, from the root *h₂ep- (“water”), whence also Sanskrit अप् (áp, “water”). By surface analysis, the -p- could be assumed to be connected to the -qu- of Latin aqua; however, Michiel de Vaan considers this connection untenable because of the long initial /a/. The linguist Michael Weiss disputes this etymology, arguing that *h₂ep- would not evolve the long /ā/ that may be present in the Oscan term. He instead opts to explain the term as a substantivization of the vṛddhi formation *āpo-, which he suggests could be explained as deriving from *apā-, itself from *akʷā, or from *ap-, itself from *h₂ep-.

*𐌀𐌀𐌐𐌀 • (*aapa) f

1. The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include: water, water-basin

• (accusative singular) 𐌀𐌀𐌐𐌀𐌌 (aapam)
• (genitive singular; accusative plural) 𐌀𐌀𐌐𐌀𐌔 (aapas)

• De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “O. aapam”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 19
• Thomas Olander (2022) The Indo-European Language Family: A Phylogenetic Perspective‎^[1], page 128
• Jürgen Untermann (1979) “Literaturbericht Italische Sprachen”, in Glotta‎^[2] (in German), volume 57, number 3/4, →ISSN, pages 293–324