Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/sьrbъ

This Proto-Slavic 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-Slavic

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to watch over, protect”).

Indo-European cognates include Avestan 𐬵𐬀𐬭𐬀𐬌𐬙𐬌 (haraⁱti), 𐬵𐬀𐬎𐬭𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬌𐬙𐬌 (ha^uruuaⁱti, “he guards”), Proto-Scythian *harv- (> *xъrvatъ, *xъrvatinъ).

Noun

*sьrbъ m

ally
kinsperson (used as an endonym)

Declension

Declension of *sьrbъ (hard o-stem)
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*sьrbъ	*sьrba	*sьrbi
genitive	*sьrba	*sьrbu	*sьrbъ
dative	*sьrbu	*sьrboma	*sьrbomъ
accusative	*sьrbъ	*sьrba	*sьrby
instrumental	sьrbъmь, sьrbomь^*	*sьrboma	*sьrby
locative	*sьrbě	*sьrbu	*sьrběxъ
vocative	*sьrbe	*sьrba	*sьrbi

^* -ъmь in North Slavic, -omь in South Slavic.

Derived terms

*sьrbьskъ
*sьrbьstvo
*sьrbovati

Descendants

East Slavic:
- Old East Slavic: *сьрбъ (*sĭrbŭ)
  - Old Ruthenian: сербъ (serb); ⇒ се́рбинъ (sérbin)
    - Belarusian: серб (sjerb)
    - Carpathian Rusyn: Серб (Serb)
    - Ukrainian: серб (serb); ⇒ се́рбин (sérbyn)
  - Russian: серб (serb)
  - ⇒ Ukrainian: присе́рбитися (prysérbytysja), присьо́рбатися (prysʹórbatysja, “to join”)
South Slavic:
- ⇒ Bulgarian: съ́рбин (sǎ́rbin)
- ⇒ Macedonian: Србин (Srbin)
- Old Serbo-Croatian: срьбинь, срьблинь
  - Serbo-Croatian:
    Cyrillic script: ср̏б; ⇒ Србин, Ср̏бин, ср̏бљин
    
    Latin script: sȑb; ⇒ Srbin, Sȑbin, sȑbljin
West Slavic:
- Czech: Srb
- Polish: Serb
- Old Slovak: Srb
  - Pannonian Rusyn: Серб (Serb)
  - Slovak: Srb
- Sorbian:
  - Lower Sorbian: Serb (“Sorb, Kashub”)
  - Upper Sorbian: Serb (“Sorb, Kashub”)

Non-Slavic:
- → Greek: Σέρβιοι (Sérvioi, “East Slavic tribe”), Σέρβοι (Sérvoi)
- → Medieval Latin: Zribia (“Meissen”)
- → Romanian: sârb

References

Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “серб”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “пасерб”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress