Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/dʰénwr̥

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

From *dʰen- +‎ *-wr̥ (substantifying suffix).

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Noun

*dʰénwr̥ n^[1]^[2]

arc, bow
palm (of hand), sole (of foot)

Inflection

Athematic, proterokinetic
	singular	collective
nominative	*dʰénwr̥	*dʰénwōr
genitive	*dʰn̥wéns	*dʰnunés
	singular	dual	plural	collective
nominative	*dʰénwr̥	—	—	*dʰénwōr
vocative	*dʰénwr̥	—	—	*dʰénwōr
accusative	*dʰénwr̥	—	—	*dʰénwōr
genitive	*dʰn̥wéns	—	—	*dʰnunés
ablative	*dʰn̥wéns	—	—	*dʰnunés
dative	*dʰn̥wéney	—	—	*dʰnunéy
locative	dʰn̥wén, dʰn̥wéni	—	—	dʰn̥wén, dʰn̥wéni
instrumental	*dʰn̥wénh₁	—	—	*dʰnunéh₁

Alternative reconstructions

*dʰénr̥ (“palm”) (excluding Indo-Iranian and the meaning “bow”)^[3]

Reconstruction notes

The reconstruction with *-w- in the suffix explains the Indo-Iranian (and Latin) descendants, but is challenging to explain the Greek and Germanic. Many authors do not even consider these to be from the same root, due to the semantic gap between “palm” and “bow”.

Descendants

Proto-Germanic: *den(n)(a)raz (< *dʰén(w)ōr) ^?
- Proto-West Germanic: *denar, *denr
  - Old High German: tenar^[3] (see there for further descendants)
Hellenic:
- Ancient Greek: θέναρ (thénar, “palm (of hand)”)
Proto-Indo-Iranian: *dʰánwr̥ (“bow”)
- Proto-Indo-Aryan:
  - Sanskrit: धनुस् (dhanus), धन्वन् (dhanvan, “bow”)
- Proto-Iranian:
  - Avestan: 𐬚𐬀𐬥𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬥 (θanuuan), 𐬚𐬀𐬥𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬆 (θanuuar^ə)
  - ⇒ Old Persian: 𐎰𐎵𐎢𐎺𐎴𐎡𐎹 (θ-nu-u-v-n-i-y /⁠θanuvaniya⁠/, “archer”)
Proto-Italic:
- >? Latin: femur (“thigh”)^[4]

References

^ Pokorny, Julius (1959) Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 1, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 249
^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “θέναρ”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), volume I, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 540
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Kroonen, Guus (2013) Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎^[1], Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 93
^ Lubotsky, Alexander (2011) “dhánus-”, in The Indo-Aryan Inherited Lexicon (in progress) (Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Project), Leiden University, pages 161-2

[1] Pokorny, Julius (1959) Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 1, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 249

[2] Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “θέναρ”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), volume I, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 540

[EDPG-3] 3.0 ^3.1 Kroonen, Guus (2013) Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎^[1], Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 93

[4] Lubotsky, Alexander (2011) “dhánus-”, in The Indo-Aryan Inherited Lexicon (in progress) (Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Project), Leiden University, pages 161-2

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