Proto-Indo-European

American  

[proh-toh-in-doh-yoor-uh-pee-uhn] / ˈproʊ toʊˌɪn doʊˌyʊər əˈpi ən /

noun

1. the unattested prehistoric parent language of the Indo-European languages; Indo-European.

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adjective

1. of or relating to Proto-Indo-European.

Proto-Indo-European British  

noun

1. the prehistoric unrecorded language that was the ancestor of all Indo-European languages

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Example Sentences

“Nectere,” in turn, grew from the ancient Proto-Indo-European language root *ned — which also means “to bind.”

From Seattle Times • Jan. 26, 2024

She traces the roots of her favorite word in English, marshes, to the Old English mor and the Proto-Indo-European mer, “meaning ‘to hurt,’ ‘to die’ or even ‘sea.’

From New York Times • Mar. 8, 2022

The word “kneel” derives from the Proto-Indo-European root “genu-” which meant both “knee” and “angle.”

From Seattle Times • Sep. 25, 2017

It is thought Albion may be derived from the Latin albus, which means white, although there is another possible etymology in a Proto-Indo-European word for "hill".

From BBC • Aug. 28, 2012

But no Proto-Indo-European word can be reconstructed for “gun,” which uses different roots in different modern Indo-European languages: “gun” in English, “fusil” in French, “ruzhyo” in Russian, and so on.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond