Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/speru

This Proto-Germanic 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-Germanic

Alternative forms

*sperru, *sparu

Etymology

From Pre-Germanic *sperHu-, from Proto-Indo-European *sperH-. Cognate with Latin sparus (“hunting spear”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈspe.ru/

Noun

*speru n

spear
Synonyms: *angô, *darōþuz, *frankô, *gaizaz, *speutaz

Inflection

neuter u-stemDeclension of *speru (neuter u-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*speru	*sperū
vocative	*speru	*sperū
accusative	*speru	*sperū
genitive	*sperauz	*spiriwǫ̂
dative	*spiriwi	*sperumaz
instrumental	*sperū	*sperumiz

Descendants

Proto-West Germanic: *speru, *spiri, *spari
- Old English: spere
  - Middle English: spere
    - Scots: spere, speir
    - English: spear
- Old Frisian: spere, spiri, sper
  - Saterland Frisian: Speer
  - West Frisian: spear
- Old Saxon: sper
  - Middle Low German: sper
    - Low German: Speer
- Old Dutch: *speru, *sper
  - Middle Dutch: spēre, sper
    - Dutch: speer
- Old High German: sper
  - Middle High German: sper
    - German: Speer
    - Luxembourgish: Speer
Old Norse: spjǫr, spjǫrr, spǫrr, sparr

References

Kroonen, Guus (2013) Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN